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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


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[BV2060    .C93    1889 
Icust,    Robert   Needham, 
11821-1909.  ^.      ^ 

Notes   on  missionary   subjects 


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^ote0  on  :^tss;ionar^  Subjects* 


.    Part  E 


(I.)     OBSERVATIONS     AND     REFLECTIONS     ON     MISSIONARY     SOCIETIES. 
(II.)     LANGUAGE     ILLUSTRATED     BY     BIBLE-TRANSLATION. 


Part  M, 


THE     GREAT     PROBLEMS     OUTSIDE     THE     ORBIT     OF     PURE    EVANGELISTIC 
WORK,     BUT    WHICH     THE     MISSIONARY     HAS     TO     FACE. 

Part  MI. 

RELATION     OF     MISSIONARIES     TO     THE     OUTER     WORLD. 

Part   W. 

MISSIONARY     ADDRESSES,    PICTURES,     AND     NOTICES. 


ROBERT   NEEDHAM    CUST,   LL.D, 

LATE    MEMBER    OF    H.M.    INDIAN    CIVIL    SERVICE.    MEMBER    OF    COMMITTEES    OF    BRITISH    AND 

FOREIGN  BIBLE  SOCIETY,   AND  CHURCH   MISSIONARY  SOCIETY,    MEMBER  OF    TRANSLATION 

COMMITTEE      OF      SOCIETY      FOR      PROMOTING      CHRISTIAN      KNOWLEDGE, 

INCORPORATED    MEMBER     OF     SOCIETY     FOR     THE     PROPAGATION 

OF  THE   GOSPEL,    AND   HONORARY    SECRETARY    OF    THE 

ROYAL   ASIATIC   SOCIETY. 


Me^aX)/   y   ukyOeia   Kal    vTrepia')(^vei. 

LONDON : 

ELLIOT   STOCK,   62,   PATERNOSTER   ROW. 

1889. 
All  Rights  Reserved. 


INTRODUCTION. 


I  PUT  forth  in  a  collective  volume  the  Four  Parts  of  my  Notes 
on  Missionary  Subjects ;  but  each  Part  is  complete  in  itself, 
and  as  each  treats  upon  a  special  portion  of  the  subject,  may 
be  acceptable  in  that  form  to  persons,  who  do  not  require  the 
whole  work.     There  is  a  full  Index  to  each  Part. 

These  Notes  come  from  the  pen  of  a  sincere,  and  experienced, 
friend.  Their  object  is  to  lay  down  first  principles,  point  out 
serious  errors  of  practice,  denounce  what  is  positively  wrong, 
and  suggest  what  appears  to  be  the  better  way. 

Free  from  any  bias  of  Nationality,  Denomination,  or  shade 
of  Religious  thought,  the  Author  is  entirely  fearless  of  criticism, 
and  welcomes  all  honest  differences  of  opinion.  If  the  errors 
described  can  be  proved  never  to  have  existed,  so  much  the 
better.  If  a  better  way  can  be  indicated,  it  is  well.  If  a  bad 
policy  is  abandoned,  it  is  a  subject  of  congratulation.  The 
human  side  of  Mission-work  is  peculiarly  human.  In  secular 
administration  the  strong  hand  of  the  Governor  at  once  puts 
a  stop  to  the  extravagancies  of  a  subordinate.  But  the  powers 
of  a   Bishop  are  constitutionally  limited.     The   authority  of  a 


(     iv     ) 

Committee,  based  on  a  democratic  electorate,  is  singularly 
weak.  The  credit  of  the  great  cause  of  INIissions  is  exposed 
to  obloquy,  or  is  misunderstood,  on  account  of  the  folly,  or 
weakness,  of  the  weakest  section  of  supporters,  or  of  the  least 
wise  agent  in  the  Field. 

My  book  was  not  published  for  profit,  and  the  large  free 
distribution  prevents  even  the  expense  of  printing  being 
recouped ;  but  I  have  received  my  reward  in  letters  from 
young  and  old,  laymen  and  ordained  men,  British  and 
foreigners,  not  agreeing  in  everything  (for  that  were  impossible), 
but  telling  me,  that  my  labour  had  not  been  in  vain,  that  I 
had  those  who  sympathized  with  me,  though  personally  unknown 
to  me  ;  and  some  young  men  have  told  me,  that  they  had  been 
helped  in  their  decision  to  go  forth  by  my  words  :  and  this 
alone  is  an  exceeding  great  reward. 

Some  of  the  Essays  have  been  reprinted  in  American 
Missionary  Journals,  in  the  China  Inland  Evangelization  of  the 
World,  and,  as  a  separate  pamphlet,  by  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel ;  some  have  been  translated  into ' 
German,  have  been  reviewed  and  quoted  in  periodicals,  secular 
and  religious.  One  Society  has  taken  fifty  copies  of  the  first 
Essay  of  Part  L,  but  the  whole  ought  to  be  taken  together ;  the 
plums  of  praise  must  not  be  picked  out,  and  be  unduly  dwelt 
on ;  the  sharp  condemnations,  and  notice  of  sad  failures,  must 
not  be  separated  from  the  context.  We  have  no  reason  to  be 
surprised  at  such  failures.  What  St.  Paul  says  of  the  Church 
of  Corinth  in  its  first  decade  ought  to  prepare  us.  My  last 
words  were  : 


(      V      ) 

"  It  cannot  now  be  said,  that  we  must  travel  onward,  as  if  in 
a  mist,  and  that,  as  nobody  criticized,  there  was  no  error." 

Unpalatable  truths  are  unpleasant  to  all  corporate  bodies, 
whether  Religious,  or  Secular,  when  they  have  got  out  of 
the  right  groove.  All  I  ask  is,  that  the  advice  of  a  tried 
friend  may  be  impartially  considered.  Already  the  Conference 
of  one  great  Mission- Field  has  met  to  discuss  my  Essay  XI. 
of  Part  IV.,  the  most  trenchant  of  all,  reprinted  in  an  Indian 
Missionary  Periodical,  and  my  last  word  on  a  subject,  which 
has  exercised  my  thoughts  and  pen  for  the  last  forty  years. 
The  convener  of  that  Conference,  an  entire  stranger,  has 
expressed  to  me  by  letter  the  value,  which  the  Conference 
placed  upon  it.  They  did  not  admit  all  the  facts ;  they  did 
not  agree  in  all  the  conclusions,  but  they  recognized  the 
thoroughly  friendly  spirit  of  my  criticisms,  and  declared,  that  in 
that  part  of  the  Field  the  tide  was  setting  "  in  the  direction  of 
"  common  sense  and  economy,"  that  they  thoroughly  welcomed 
criticisms  from  a  man  like  myself,  who  knew  the  country  (India) 
and  the  conditions  of  life  there.  He  concludes,  "  We  inherit 
'*  some  foolish  traditions,  which  it  is  rather  hard  to  break 
"  through,  but  we  are  learning  to  do  it,  and  such  words  as 
"  yours  are  distinctly  a  help.  We  recognize  the  true  ring  of 
"  Missionary  sympathy,  even  when  we  think  that  you  are  not 
•'  perfectly  just." 

The  condemnation  of  Anti-Opium-Trade  zealots ;  of  officials 
unable  to  free  themselves  (though  often  desirous,  and  personally 
clean-handed)  from  the  toils  of  a  system,  which  consumes 
unprofitably  an  unduly  large   proportion  of  the  sacred  funds, 


(     vi     ) 

collected  under  the  influence  of  prayer  to  convert  the  heathen ; 
of  good  easy  men,  who  know  nothing  of  the  development  and 
Phenomena  of  this  Great  Power  all  over  the  world,  and  treat  a 
Mission-Committee  as  a  kind  of  Clerical  Club ;  weigh  little  in 
the  minds  of  those,  who  see  nothing  before  them,  day  and 
night,  but  the  necessity  of  the  extension  of  the  Lord' s  Kingdom 
as  speedily  as  possible :  who  will  call  a  "  spade  a  spade," 
whether  the  offender  be  called  a  Missionary  or  an  official 
of  the  Government  of  British  India.  This  independence  of 
opinion  and  utterance  comes  from  a  life-training  in  a  School, 
where  the  good,  material  and  spiritual,  of  the  oppressed,  and 
so-called  inferior,  races  of  the  world,  has  been  the  one  great 
object,  to  which  talents,  time,  and  thought,  have  been  devoted. 

A  friend  in  Committee  told  me,  that  he  had  read  every  line 
of  this  book,  and  could  wish  for  me  no  better  memorial  of  a 
life's  work,  when  I  was  called  away.     So  let  it  be. 

Studying  the  lives  of  Carey  and  Martyn,  Judson  and  John 
Williams,  Steere  and  Patteson,  and  the  Moravian  Brotherhood, 
I  try  to  place  before  the  Missionaries  of  the  rising  generation 
the   law   of 

^Elf-abnegatian    antj    <ScIf-consccrati'on. 

19  Feb.  1889. 

P.  S. — In  Central  Africa,  the  organ  of  the  Universities 
Mission,  for  November,  1888,  appear  the  following  words: 

"  There  is  very  much  that  is  most  valuable  to  all,  who  have 
"  the  progress  of  the   Kingdom   of  God  at   heart,   and   these 


(     vii     ) 

"  pamphlets  should  certainly  find  a  place  on  the  Mission  shelf 
"  of  every  Parish  Priest's  Library." 

The  Editor  of  the  Missionary  Review  of  the  World  has 
written  me  a  letter,  which  has  just  reached  me  from  New 
York,  U.S. : 

"  Allow  me  to  express  my  great  appreciation  of  your  con- 
"  tributions  to  the  Missionary  literature  of  the  day.  I  have 
"  repeatedly  reproduced  your  thoughts  in  the  Missionary  Review 
"  of  the  World.  While  not  agreeing  with  all  your  views,  I  yet 
"  find  them  so  fresh,  so  original,  and  independent,  and  so 
"  forcibly  and  fearlessly  expressed,  as  greatly  to  charm  and 
"  impress  me." 


NOTE. 

"The  Missions  of  the  Roman  Church"  will  appear  as 
a  separate  volume. 


INDEX. 


PART    I. 


Aborigines  Society,  I.  37. 
Abstract  words,  II.  69,  86. 
Africa,  I.'  27. 

African  languages,  II.  77. 
All  Souls'  College,  I.  31. 
Alphabets,  IL  62. 
Alternative  readings,  IL  loi. 
American,  I.  xv. 
American  languages,  II.  79. 
Anecdotes,  II.  91. 
Apocrypha,  II.  52,  55,  100. 
Appeal  for  funds,  I.  19. 
Arm  of  the  flesh,  I.  10. 
Arrogance,  I.  20. 
Asiatic  languages,  II.  73. 

Baptism — the  word — II.  52. 

Do.     of  dying  heathen,  I.  9. 

Do.     instantaneous,  I.  9. 

Do.     Secret,  I.  9. 
Ba-Suto,  I.  37,  38. 
Bible  does  its  own  work,  II.  55. 
Bible-House,  II.  8z,  90,  104. 
Bible-women,  II.  103,  105. 
Bishop,  I.  18. 
Black  net,  I.  40. 
Buddha,  I.  18. 
Caesar,  things  of,  I.  xiii.  10. 
Cardinal,  I.  xii. 
Carey,  I.  34. 
Caste,  I.  28,  33. 
Charles,  Mr.,  II.  51. 
China,  I.  11,  30,  31,  33,  46. 
Christian  Liberty,  I.  42. 

Do.       Spirit,  I.  37. 
Clerical  Work,  I.  43. 
College,  I.  18. 
Colporteur,  II.  105. 


Comity  of  Societies,  II.  100. 
Commerce,  I.  1 1. 
Committee,  duties  of,  I.  2,  6, 

13,  14,  IS,  19  ;  II.  102. 
Common  Standard,  II.  8g. 
Comparative  Philology,  II.  88. 
Criticism,  I.  xvi. 
Customs,  Innocent,  I.  9,  11. 

Delegates  to  Committee,  I.  14. 
Denominations,  I.  8,  37. 
Depot,  II.  loi. 
Desertion  of  Duty,  I.  34,  35. 
Dialects,  II.  61,  83. 
Dictionaries,  II.  85. 
Directors,  I.  13. 
Dissensions,  Church,  I.  xvi. 
Distribution,  II.  82,  93. 
Divine  name,  II.  67. 
Division  of  work,  II.  97. 
Door  open,  I.  19. 

Education,  I.  7,  47. 
Egoism,  I.  30. 
End  of  the  World,  I.  8. 
Endowments,  I.  xv. 
Errors  exploded,  II.  84. 
Eskimo,  I.  42  ;  II.  gi. 
European  languages,  II.  72. 

Faith,  want  of,  I.  7. 
Family  cares,  I.  36. 
Fire-arms,  I.  10,  41. 
France,  French,  I.  12,  38. 
Free  lances,  I.  24. 
Funds,  I.  19,  32. 

German,  I.  21. 


INDEX. 


Home-Missions,  I.  xiv. 
Honorific  phrases,  H.  65. 

Italy,  attitude  of,  H.  52. 
Immorality,  I.  28. 
Imprimatur  of  Bishops,  11.  loi. 
India,  I.  2,  27,  40. 
Inspectors,  I.  15. 
Interpreter,  I.  25. 

Judson,  I,  21. 

Languages  preserved  by  Bible, 

II.  84. 
I-avigerie,  I.  16. 
Law-abiding,  I.  40. 
Liquor,  I.  9,  34. 
Literature,  I.  23. 
Liturgical  Versions,  II.  69. 
Loan-words,  II.  64 
Local  Committees,  I.  15. 
Localization  of  Bible  phrases, 

II.  70. 

Mahometan  law,  I.  9. 
Magisterial  Powers,  I.  ir. 
Marriage,  I.  26. 
Melanesia,  I.  89. 
Missions  Catholiques,  L  21. 
Missions,  kinds  of,  I.  i. 
Missionary  work,  I.  3. 
Missionaries,    character  of,   1. 

I.  XV.  42,  46. 
Missionaries,  different  kinds  of, 

I.  23. 

Mode  of  preaching,  I.  29. 
Morocco,  I.  39. 

Narrowmindedness,  I.  20,  ^^; 

II.  66. 
Natives,  I.  33. 

Native  Agents,  I.  17,  41.. 
Natives,  hatred  of,  I.  28. 
Niggardness,  I,  xiv. 
Non-Christian  Religion,  II.  89. 


Note    or  comment  forbidden, 

II.    lOI. 

Oceania,  I.  87. 
Oceanic  languages,  II.  81. 
One-man  translations,  II.  60. 
Oriental  Churches,  I.  18. 

Parents,  duty  of,  I.  xiv. 

Patois,  II.  64,  87. 

Patriot,  I.  1 1. 

Patteson,  Bishop,  I.  89. 

Physical  force,  I.  40. 

Pioneer,  I.  i,  3,  4. 

Platform,  I.  20.    • 

Plymouth  Brethren,  I.  8. 

Polynesia,  I.  35. 

Prayer,  I.  16,  20. 

Progress   cannot    be   stopped, 

II.  87. 
Proof  of  unity  of  mankind,  II. 


Quarrels,  I.  5,  31,  47. 

Races,  native,  I.  xiii. 
Redemption  of  Slaves,  I.  13. 
Remuneration,  I.  24. 
Renegades,  I.  18. 

Savage,  I.  i.  28. 
Secretaries,  I.  6,  13. 
Self-consecration,  I.  34. 
Septuagint,  II.  50. 
Shaftesbury,  Earl  of,  I.  30. 
Slave-labour,  I.  13. 
Spelling  of  names,  II.  96. 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian 

Knowledge,  II.  53. 
Stanley,  I.  26. 
Steward,  good,  I.  25. 
Stock-phrases,  I.  36. 

Thompson,  Dr.  A.  C,  I.  xi. 
Toleration,  I.  xiii,  xiv  ;    I.  29. 
Trade,  I.  24,  39,  42. 
Translation,  Rules  of,  II.  63. 


INDEX. 


XI 


Translators,  II.  56,  65,  84. 
Trinal  Number,  II.  61. 
Truth,  I.  29. 

Unity  of  Church. 
Unpopular,  I.  35. 

Venn,  Rev.  H.,  II.  i,  6,  31. 
Victoria  Nyanza,  I.  3. 


Vulgate,  II.  50,  55,  9b. 

Whole  Bible,  II.  102. 

Wife,  I.  27,  34. 

Withdrawal     from     Protestant 

Countries,  II.  100. 
Women's  work  for  Bible,  II.  85. 
Words  indestructible,  II.  57. 
Work  inexhaustible,  II.  71. 


PART    II. 


Aboriginal  Tribes  and  Drink, 

'37.  157.  '58. 
African  Drink  Traffic,  123. 
African  Polygamy,  5,  10,  18,  ig. 
African  Slaves  in  Madagascar 

set  free,  27. 
Alcock,  Sir  R.,  on  OpiumTrade, 

99. 
Annual  Average  of  Drink'^con- 

sumed,   161. 
Anti-Opium  Trade  Society,  1 13, 

117. 

Bible  wisely  excluded  from 
Non-Christian  Schools,  179. 
Bower,  opinion  on  Caste,  86. 
British  Soldier  and  Drink,  150. 
BritishTraderand  Liquors,  163. 
Buddhist  Literature,  134. 

Caste,  67. 

Caste     guaranteed   by   British 

law,  91. 
Caste  in  Great  Britain,  81. 
Caste  in  United  States,  81. 
Caste  not  religious,  74. 
Castes,  number  of,  71. 
Census,  latest,  71,  80. 
Chefu  Convention  ratified,  1 10. 
Chinese  contamination,  94. 
Chinese  Emigrants,  104. 
Chinese    home-grown  Opium, 

III. 


Christian    Education    Society, 

182. 
Christian  Polygamy,  11. 
Christian    Slave    holding,    38, 

44.  45- 
Chumars  or  Helots,  73. 
Commensality,  84. 
Commission  of  Education  did 

no  good,  186. 
Congress  of  Missions,  117. 
Culture  of  Opium,  107. 

Education  by  Missionaries,  165. 

Education  in  European  king- 
doms, 167. 

Education  in  Turkey,  168. 

Education  in  United  States, 
168. 

Education  in  British  Colonies 
and  India,  169. 

Education  of  the  Masses,  172. 

Educational  Charter  in  India, 
169. 

Exclusion  of  Missionaries  jus- 
tified by  their  conduct,  xii. 

Excise  laws  of  India,  143. 

Export  of  Opium,  107. 

Earrar,  Archdeacon,  125. 
Force  not  the  base  of  Opium 

Trade,  109,  1 12. 
Frere,  Sir  Bartle,  31,  43. 


xu 


INDEX. 


Gladstone,     Mr.,     on    Opium 

Trade,  loi. 
Gordon,  General,  42,  52. 
Grants  in  aid  not  worth  price 

to  Missions,  176. 
Greek  writers  and  Drink,  136. 
Greek  Monogamy,  7. 

Hebrew  Polygamy,  6. 
Hebrew  Slavery,  37. 
Hebrew  writers  and  Drink,  137. 
Hughes,  Dictionary  of  Islam, 
53.  61. 

Indian  Government,  character 

of,  116,  175, 
Indian  Polygamy,  3,  20. 
Indian  Slavery,  26,  43. 
Intermarriage,  84. 
Islam,  49. 

Khalifate,  68. 
Khutbah,  57. 
Kruman  never  slaves,  43. 

Lavigerie  on  Slave  Trade,  35. 
Letter  on    Slavery  to   African 

Churches,  47. 
Livingstone,  41,  42. 
Liquor  Traffic,  121. 

Opium  sold  in  India,  105. 
Opium  Trade,  Q3. 
Oriental  Churches,  16. 
Outstill,  definition  of,  109. 

Pan-Anglican  Synod,  i. 

rio^Jrt/c\)yT0  9,   59' 

Pawning,  36. 
Polyandry,  2. 
Polygamy  defined,  2. 
Poppy  cultivation,  93. 
Prince's  Hall  Meetings,  125. 

Rajendra  Lai  Mitra,  131. 
Redemption  of  Slaves,  ^^. 


Religious  beliefs  undermined, 

'75- 

Religious  neutrality  in  Educa- 
tion, 170. 

Religions,  Non-Christian,  have 
no  moral  guarantee,  178. 

Roman  Cardinal,  97. 

Roman  Catholic  view  of  Caste, 
87. 

Roman  Catholic  purchase  of 
slaves,  32,  39. 

Roman  Monogamy,  7. 

Runaway  slaves,  40. 

Salisbury,    Lord,    on    Opium- 
Trade,  10 1. 
Samuel  Smith,  M.P.,  126. 
Sanskrit  literature  and   Drink, 

133- 

Sargent,  Bishop,  on  Caste,  88. 

Sawyer,  Mr.,  on  Polygamy,  11, 
20. 

Secular  Instruction,  166. 

Sale  of  men  by  themselves,  41. 

Selwyn,  Bishop,  on  Polygamy, 
16. 

Shepstone,  Sir  Theo.,  on  Poly- 
gamy, 3. 

Sikhs  and  Drink,  141. 

Slaves  possessing  slaves,  40. 

State-College,  176. 

Tanganyika,  Murder  of  Priests, 

33- 

Temperance  Association,  121. 

Thomson,  Joseph,  61. 

Timothy,  Epistle  to,  on  Poly- 
gamy, 8. 

Wade,  Sir  Th.,  Opium  Trade, 

105. 
Waller,  Horace,  Drink  Traffic, 

129. 
Wife,  status  to  be  defined,  18. 
Widow  of  brother,  claim  to,  19. 

Zulu  Marriages,  4,  5. 


INDEX. 


Xlll 


PART    III. 


Abbe  de  Baize,  30. 

Abstention  from  Politics,  10. 

African  Sovereigns,  sympathy 
for,  56. 

Agencies  at  work,  number  of,  2  3 . 

Algeria,  Mosques  built  and 
secularized,  78. 

American  Board  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, 11,  42. 

Arabs,  good  behaviour  of,  55. 

Ba-Suto  Mission,  32,  41. 
Bible-Translation,  5. 
Biographies,  Missionary,  81. 
Board  of  Missions,  13. 
British  India,  Religious  liberty, 

73- 
British  Interests,  67. 
Brahmin    girl    kidnapped    by 

Missionaries,  74. 

Calcutta,  Bishop  of,  scheme,  25. 
Canterbury,     Archbishop     of, 

speech,  24. 
Casalis,  Missionary,  decorated, 

32. 

Charges,  false,  made  by  Mis- 
sionaries, 39. 

China,  Religious  liberty,  71. 

China,     French     Missionaries, 

34>  44.  45.  46,  47- 
Christian  Native  Colonies,  58. 
Church,  definition  of,  16. 
Church  Missionary  Society,  18. 
Church    to    be    Chinese,    not 

Anglican,  48. 
Conversion    accompanied    by 

sorrow,  76. 

Defensive  Warfare,  59. 

Education,  toleration  in,  77. 
Enlistment  of  armed  men,  61. 
Errors  to  be  avoided,  27. 


Fanatical  Association  of  IMis- 
sionaries,  35. 

Foreign  Office  not  to  be  ap- 
pealed to,  45,  47. 

Gaols,nopreachingallowed,77. 
Geography,  aid  of  Missionaries, 

2. 
Geology,  aid  of  Missionaries,  3. 
German  Colonies,  33,  34, 41,  55. 
Gordon,  General,  68,  78. 
Gospel  and  Sword,  57. 

Kongo,  56,  58. 

Human  life  to  be  respected,  28. 

Japan,  Religious  liberty,  72, 

Idolaters  not  to  be  derided,  79. 
Illustrated  Catholic   Missions, 

5'- 

Indian  Government,  principles 
of,  89. 

Judicial  Courts  not  to  be  in- 
terfered with,  51,  80. 

Judicial  Powers,  Missionaries 
not  to  hold,  27,  31,  58. 

Kentucky,  Bishop  of,  17,  21. 

Lavigerie,  Cardinal,  17,  32,  34. 
Lay  Committee,  20,  21. 
Lay  Patronage,  2  i . 
Library  of  Missionary,  81. 
Livingstone,  64. 

Madagascar,  33. 
Maine,  Sir  H.,  opinion  of,  78. 
Missions  and  Science,  i. 
Missions  Catholiques,  54. 
Missionary,  true  type  and  duty 

of,  xii.  I,  49,  51,  64,  80. 
Missionaries,   foolish    conduct 

of,  38. 


XIV 


INDEX. 


Missionary  literature,  8. 
Missionary  philanthropy,  9, 
Moabite  Stone,  4. 

Narrowmindedness,  x.  83. 

Nestorian  Monument,  Sin- 
ganfu,  4. 

Neutrality,  benevolent,  ex- 
pected, 39. 

Newton,  John,  ix.  51,  52. 

No  beating  of  Natives  by 
Missionaries,  27,  30,  31. 

No  Man's  land,  60. 

Note  book  of  Missionary,  84. 

Nyassa  lake,  60. 

Oceania,  sad  story  of  cruelty, 
67. 

Paraguay,  57. 

Periodicals,  Missionary,  22,  85. 

Persecution,  good  for  a  Church, 

48. 
Philology,  aid  of  Missionaries, 

4-  . 
Physical  force,  66. 
Political  aggrandizement,  31. 
Ponap6,    glorious    Fourth    of 

July,  34- 
Portugal,  claims  to  Africa,  43. 
Propagation  of  Gospel  Society, 

18. 
Public  Officer,  duty  of,  79. 
Punishments,  Native,  60. 


Relation  of  Missionaries  to 
European  and  Asiatic  States, 

37- 
Relation    of    Missionaries    to 

Barbarian  Sovereigns,  53. 
Religions,  false,  to  be  avoided, 

78. 
Rent-Agitation     by    ]\Iission- 

aries,  40. 
Right  to  Religious  freedom,  78. 
Rome,  Missions  of,  xi.  52,  54. 
Russia,  70. 

Salisbury,  Lord,  reply  to 
Deputation,  61,  64. 

Selection  of  Missionary  Agents, 
22. 

Shooting  at  Natives  by  Mis- 
sionaries, 29. 

Slave-dealers,  58. 

Sphere  of  influence,  61,  63,  65. 

Stanley,  Henry,  55. 

Temples  appropriated  by  Mis- 
sionaries, 75. 
Thomson,  Joseph,  29. 
Toleration,  true,  49,  69,  74. 
Trades,  honest,  60, 
Turkey,  49,  50,  70,  7.. 

U-Ganda,  54,  55,  57,  66. 

Zambesi,freedom  of  navigation, 

43,  60. 
Zulu  plunderers,  58. 


PART   IV. 


Agricultural  Mission,  109. 
American  Mission,  4. 
Aries,  Martyrs  of,  7. 
Arm  of  the  Flesh,  52. 
Arms  of  precision,  65. 
Association,  organized,  106. 
Australia,  1 1. 

Baptism  of  Children,  69. 
Baptist  Society,  3. 


Beauty  of  Holiness,  64. 
Bible-Translation,  12. 
Bible-woman,  61. 
Boasting  should  be  excluded, 
117. 

Celibacy,  features  of,  no. 
Christian     Native    Church    in 

India,  67. 
Christian  Soldier,  75,  79. 


INDEX. 


XV 


Christian  Nations,  duty  to  India, 

80. 
Christian  things  in  a  Christian 

way,  81. 
Christ   the    only   Motive    and 

Power,  92. 
Christian  Faith,  Power  of,  99. 
China  Inland  Mission,  1 1 1. 
Church,  definition  of,  107.. 
Church  Missionary  Society,  94, 

97. 
Civilized. Heathen  Nations,  57. 
Civilization  must  be  Christian, 

23,  103. 
Comparative  Religion,  36. 
Committee  Rooms,  26. 
Complicated  organization,  106, 

Consanguinity  of  Faith,  37. 
Convert,  sufferings  of,  79. 
Crowther,  Bishop,  4,  95. 

Darwin,  4,  95. 
Day  labourers,  all  of  us,  59. 
Deaths  necessary,  5,  58,  56. 
Denouncing  a  great  Commerce, 

117. 
Deputations,  115,  116. 
Diversities  of  administrations, 

105. 
Divinely     imposed     Duty     of 

Evangelization,  91. 
Duty  is  always  safest  course, 

114. 
Duty  of  Christian,  30,  93,  96. 
Dying  words,  5,  58,  6b. 

Early  Missionaries  in  the  same 
grade  of  Society  as  their 
converts,  1 13. 

East  London  Institute,  iii. 

Early  type  of  modern  Mis- 
sionaries,  114. 

Edwardes,  Herbert,  75,  76. 

Exeter  Hall,  a  poem,  87. 

Extravagance  of  some  Mis- 
sionary Societies,  106,  log, 
110,  112. 


Faith-Missions,  106,  107,  108. 

Family  cares,  5 1. 

Female  Evangelist,  61,  64. 

Free  lances,  107. 

Free  Methodist  Mission,  iii. 

Frere,  Sir  Bartle,  no. 

Gardiner,  Allen,  39,  40,  41. 

German  Missions,  4. 

God's  great  lesson  in  his  work, 

60. 
Gospel,  Universal,  93. 
Grandeur  of  human  character, 

lOI. 

Gratuitous  home-service,  113. 

Hannington,  Bishop,  7. 
Heathendom  dying  around,  21, 

55- 

Heathens  not  devoid  of  good- 
ness, 96. 

Hero  Missionary,  39,  48,  49, 
100. 

Hireling,  108. 

Homes  for  Missionary  children, 
1 1 2. 

Idols   not   to   be    exposed   to 

derision,  1 17. 
India    a    field     for    Woman's 

Work,  62. 

Jingo-expeditions  not  to  be 
recommended  by  Mission- 
aries, 1 17. 

Johnston,  Vice-Consul,  95. 

Kindness  of  Natives,  53. 
Krapf,  Dr.,  3. 

Lavigerie,  Cardinal,  2. 

Lawrence,  Lord,  80. 

Layman,  duty  as  regards  Mis- 
sions, 59. 

Life-service  required,  52. 

Livingstone,  2,  97. 

Love,  sole  Motive  and  Power, 
29.  93- 


XVI 


INDEX. 


McCall,  5. 

Marriages,  early,  of  Mission- 
aries, 17,  50,  109,  1 10. 

Medical  Work,  107. 

Melanesia,  1 1. 

Methods  of  Evangelization,  48, 
105. 

Mikronesia,  11,  12. 

Missionary  Heroes  in  Africa,  i. 

Missionary  Society,  definition 
of,  10b. 

Missions,  weak  side  of,  96. 

Missionary,  his  duty,  28,  30,  33, 

,  72- 

Moral  lapses  of  Missionaries, 

1 10. 

Moravian  brotherhood,  12. 

Morrison,  loi. 

Native  Teacher,  9,  13,  14,  15, 

16,  21,  22,  1 15. 
Nazareth,  service  at,  73. 
Negro  Christians,  94. 
New  Guinea,  19,  20. 
North  Africa  Mission,  iii. 

Obituary   notice   of    a    young 

lady,  83. 
Oceania,  a  sealed  garden,  10. 
Office    expenses  waste  Sacred 

funds,  113. 
One  more  for  Christ,  8. 
Oriental  Congress  at  Vienna, 

32,  36- 

Paid  Agents,  108,  114. 

Patteson,  Bishop,  17,  19,  39, 
42,  43,  97,  loo,  101. 

Pinkerton  on  American  Mis- 
sionary, 6. 

Prayer,  21. 

Preachers  at  Anniversaries,  18. 

Pride  and  arrogance  to  be 
resisted,  1 14. 

Principle  of  Panjab  Adminis- 
tration, 76. 

Polynesia,  9,  1 1. 

Publication  Work,  107. 


Raja,  Heathen,  70. 
Religion  of  Religions,  55, 
Religions,   Non-Christian,   34, 

54- 
Religious     proclivity     of     all 

Heatherjs,   35,  36. 
Risen    Saviour,     His    parting 

command,  37. 
Riviere,  Jesuit  Priest,  8. 
Root,  Hog,  or  Die,  105,  112. 

Salt  mine  of  the  Panjab,  60. 
Sargent,  Bishop,  qj. 
Satellite  Association,  107. 
Science,  aid  of  Missionarv,  31. 
Self-Sacrifice  and  Consecration, 

56,  57,  112,  114. 
Self-Support,  108,  log. 
Selwyn,  Bishop,  17,  18.    ■ 
Sermon  in  Native  Church,  71. 
Shadow  of  the  Cross,  34. 
Sisterhoods,  106. 
Slaves,  care  of  released,  99. 
Steere,  Bishop,  97,  in. 
Success    not    the   object    but 

Service,  59. 
Sweet  superfluity  of  women,  65. 

Taylor,  Bishop  William,  107. 
Tliatching  houses,  103. 
Training  Work,  107. 
Training  of  Women  necessary, 

64. 
Truth,  adamantine,  36. 
Tucker,  Miss,  63, 

Uncivilized  Heathen  Nations, 

Universities'  JMission,  1 1  o,  1 1 1 . 
Up,  Women,  and  at  them,  65. 

Venn,  Mr.,  78. 

Williams,  John,  39,  44,  45,  46. 
Wilson,  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  26. 
Woman's  Work,  61,  107. 
Work  sent  to  make  the  man,  43. 

Youth  of  Great  Britain,  25,  loi. 


^ote0  on  Mmiomxp  ^u&iects. 


part  I, 

I.  OBSERVATIONS  and  REFLECTIONS 
ON    MISSIONARY    SOCIETIES. 

II.  LANGUAGE     ILLUSTRATED     BY 
BIBLE    TRANSLATION. 


ROBERT   NEEDHAM    GUST,   LL.D, 

LATE    MEMBER    OF    H.M.    INDIAN    CIVIL    SERVICE,    MEMBER    OF    COMMITTEES    OF    BRITISH    AND 

FOREIGN  BIBLE  SOCIETY  AND  CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY,   MEMBER  OF    TRANSLATION 

COMMITTEE      OF      SOCIETY      FOR      PROMOTING      CHRISTIAN      KNOWLEDGE, 

INCORPORATED    MEMBER     OF     SOCIETY     FOR     THE     PROPAGATION 

OF  THE   GOSPEL,    AND   HONORARY    SECRETARY    OF    THE 

ROYAL   ASIATIC   SOCIETY. 


LONDON : 

ELLIOT   STOCK,    62,   PATERNOSTER   ROW. 

1888. 
A//  Rights  Reserved. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  OF  THE  WHOLE  WORK. 


Part  L  (i)  Observations  and  Reflections  on  Mis- 
sionary Societies.     2nd  Edition. 

(2)  Language   illustrated   by  Bible -Transla- 
tion.    2nd  Edition. 

Part  IL  The  Great  Problems  outside  the  Orbit  of 
PURE  Evangelistic  Work,  but  which 
the  Missionary  has  to  face. 

Part  IIL  Relation  of  Missionaries  to  the  Outer  World. 

Part  IV.    Missionary  Addresses,  Pictures,  and  Notices. 

Part  V.    The  Missions  of  the  Romish  Church. 

(/«  preparalion.) 

Each  Part  will  be  sold  separately,  but  a  certain  number  of 
copies  of  the  whole  work  will  be  bound  up  in  a  collective 
volume. 


TO   MY   HONOURED    FRIEND, 

I3r.  a.  €.  STfjompson,  of  Boston,  Wi.^., 

AT   WHOSE   SUGGESTION   THIS   WORK   WAS   COMMENCED, 

AND   TO   WHOM    I   AM    INDEBTED   FOR   THE 

GREAT  HONOUR  OF  BEING  NOMINATED  AN  HONOR.A.RY  MEMBER 

OF    THE 

AMERICAN  BOARD   OF  COMMISSIONERS  FOR  FOREIGN  MISSIONS, 
THIS   SECOND   AND    ENLARGED   EDITION    IS 

DctiicatetJ. 

August  22,  1S88. 


PREFACE. 


I  RECEIVED  a  kind  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  Seventy- 
fifth  Anniversary  of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions  at  Boston,  U.S.,  in  October,  1885,  and  I 
considered  it  a  high  honour,  and  was  anxious  to  accept  the 
cordial  bidding  of  my  friend.  Dr.  A.  C.  Thompson,  to  be  his 
guest ;  but  as  time  drew  near,  and  I  considered  my  other 
engagements,  and  the  claims  on  my  time,  I  felt  obliged  to  send 
an  excuse.  I  had  already  that  year  traversed  nine  thousand 
miles  during  a  tour  of  twelve  weeks  in  Egypt,  Palestine,  and 
Syria,  which  is  more  than  my  annual  allowance  of  time  and 
distance,  and  next  year,  1886,  I  had  to  brace  myself  for  further 
tours,  in  Asia  and  Africa,  so  I  fear,  that  I  shall  never  be 
fortunate  enough  to  cross  the  Atlantic,  and  see  in  their  own 
homes  the  good  American  citizens,  whom  I  love  and  honour  so 
much,  as  friends,  and  as  benefactors  of  Asiatic  and  African 
peoples. 

With  them,  however,  in  this  gathering  in  heart  and  soul,  and 
devoted  for  more  than  forty  years  to  the  same  cause,  that  of 
publishing  the  Gospel  of  Christ  to  the  Heathen,  I  ventured  to 
draw  up  a  paper  for  submission  on  certain  points  and  principles 
of  Missionary  Policy,  which  seem  deserving  of  notice.  Dr. 
Thompson  suggested  this  to  me  in  his  letter  dated  May  22, 
1885.  I  cannot  expect,  that  all  will  agree  with  me,  but  I  can 
speak  out,  as  an  impartial  observer,  one  who  is  not  a  Missionary, 
but  who  has  lived  all  his  life  among  Missionaries  of  all  de- 
nominations, and  nationalities,  one  who  reads  the  Reports  of 
the  Roman  Catholics,  as  well  as  of  the  Protestants,  one  who 
has  visited  all   the  celebrated  shrines  of  the  Romish  Church, 


(      xii      ) 

and  held  friendly  intercourse  with  Cardinal  and  Priest,  and  is 
not  afraid  to  have  Jesuits  as  friends,  and  who  finds  his  way 
during  his  travels  into  the  Schools,  and  Orphanages,  of  the 
Nuns,  as  well  as  of  the  Women's  Boards. 

On  Church-Government,  and  Dogmatic  Theology,  I  do  not 
touch,  but  I  am  not  afraid  to  state,  that  I  am  ex  animo  a 
member  of  the  Evangelical  Branch  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of 
England,  and  yet  that  fact  does  not  prevent  me  sitting  upon 
the  Committee  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society,  which 
embraces  all  the  Evangelical  Churches,  and  at  the  same  time 
taking  part  in  the  deliberations  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Gospel,  as  an  incorporated  Member  for  many  years.  I 
delight  to  be  present  at  the  Annual  Meetings  of  every  IMissionary 
Society  to  the  Heathen  in  Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  Oceania, 
and  to  mark  the  Phenomena  of  the  work,  and  the  idiosyncrasies 
of  the  workers.  Mission-work  is  gradually  becoming  a  Science; 
laws  of  international  comity,  and  links  of  inter-Mission  brother- 
hood, are  being  framed.  Annexation  on  the  noblest  and  grandest 
scale  for  spiritual  and  benevolent  purposes  is  being  carried  out. 
A  territorial  division  of  all  vacant  regions  is  being  made. 
Throughout  all  my  writings  it  is  my  desire,  that  my  love  for 
Christ,  and  for  Christ's  people  of  all  sorts  and  conditions,  should 
unmistakeably  appear.  Though  an  open  antagonist  of  the  errors 
of  the  Church  of  Rome,  I  have  received  the  thanks  of  a  Cardinal 
for  standing  up  for  the  rights  of  the  poor  Roman  Catholic  paupers 
of  London  against  the  narrow  views  of  Protestant  Boards  and 
Vestries. 

My  remarks  were  admitted  to  be  very  severe,  and  yet  from 
Missionary  Societies,  and  from  Missionaries  in  the  Field,  I  received 
constant  demand  for  copies,  as  my  book  was  not  published  for 
sale.  One  Society  proposed  to  reprint  it,  but  I  considered  it 
best  to  reserve  to  myself  the  privilege  to  issue  a  corrected  and 
enlarged  edition. 

I  have  had  some  experience  in  the  Field,  and  the  Committee- 
Room.  No  ordained  Missionary  can  exceed  me  in  devotion  to 
the  object,  and  yet  I  look  at  each  problem  from  the  point  of 
view  of  a  Statesman,  an  Administrator  of  Oriental  Provinces, 
and  an  out-and-out  friend  and  champion  of  the  Heathen,  and 
Mahometan,  People.     No  plausible  theory  has  any  chance  with . 


(     -^iii     ) 

ine.  I  am  sternly  practical.  It  is  not  what  we  desire,  or  what 
ought  to  be  done,  but  what  can,  under  the  laws  of  Human 
Justice  and  Divine  Toleration,  be  done.  Non  quod  vohimus, 
sed  quod  posstunus.  What  trouble  would  be  saved,  if  enthu- 
siasts would  understand  this !  Empty  resolutions,  passed  in  Exeter 
Hall,  by  a  packed,  irresponsible,  body,  brought  together,  "  not  to 
discuss,  but  denounce,"  have  no  more  value  than  the  waggings 
of  a  dog's  tail.  The  example  of  the  life,  of  a  true,  honest, 
earnest,  blameless  man,  and  his  calmly  recorded  opinion,  or  his 
advice  conveyed  in  the  proper  quarter,  in  a  proper  manner, 
has  a  potent  effect  upon  men  in  power,  and  leads  to  action. 

I  fearlessly  point  out  the  errors,  and  shortcomings  of  Mis- 
sionary Societies,  and  Agents,  and  unscrupulously  sweep  away 
the  fogs  on  the  brain  of  good  men,  who  have  never  looked 
on  both  sides  of  the  shield,  and  the  mistaken,  views  of  young 
men,  entirely  unversed  in  the  conduct  of  mundane  affairs,  and 
who  cannot  see  the  difference  between  the  Things  of  Caesar, 
and  the  Things  of  God.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles  tell  us, 
how  men  acted  under  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  Roman 
Empire.  Though  the  circumstances  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
as  regards  human  affairs,  are  totally  different,  the  same  principles 
apply. 

I  stand  up  for  the  native  races  against  Governments,  against 
the  white  man,  against  Missionaries,  and  indignantly  reject 
the  idea,  that  any  white  man  has  a  right  to  lord  it  over  the 
black  man,  whether  he  comes  as  a  Governor,  a  Traveller, 
a  Merchant,  an  Emigrant,  or  a  Missionary.  I  am  obliged 
to  speak  plainly  upon  this  subject.  The  Albocracy  of  the  age 
is  terribly  heartless. 

It  distresses  me  to  hear,  as  I  heard  a  few  months  ago, 
from  the  lips  of  a  man,  who  had  spent  six  months  in  India, 
preaching  through  an  interpreter,  that  the  people  of  India 
in  their  heathen  state  were  all  liars  and  false  witnesses,  and 
that  directly  they  became  Christians,  they  spoke  the  truth. 
It  distresses  me  to  hear  National  Customs,  not  only  not 
criminal,  but  actually  legalized  under  British  Law,  and  profit- 
able, and  which  could  not  be  abandoned  without  great  evils, 
denounced  by  those,  who  do  not  understand  them. 

If,  on  the  one  hand,  the  grandeur  of  the  enterprize  to  con- 


(     xiv     ) 

vert  the  World,  overpowers  the  intellect,  and  makes  us  proud 
of  our  generation,  yet  nothing  can  be  more  humiliating  than 
the  close  examination  of  the  inner  working  of  the  great  move- 
ment. Xo  proof,  that  the  matter  is  from  God,  and  that  His 
Holy  Spirit  is  guiding  us,  can  be  produced,  stronger  than 
the  story  of  the  manifold  instances  of  weakness,  unwisdom, 
arrogance,  and  want  of  sj-mpathy  with  the  poor  heathen, 
contempt  of  the  great  laws  of  Tolerance,  and  human  kind- 
ness, absence  of  self-control,  and  self-sacrifice,  which  so 
often  manifest  themselves  in  the  poor  creatures,  privileged  to 
be'  agents  of  His  will,  whether  in  Committee,  or  in  the  Field. 
Still  the  work  advances  ! 

Last  come  the  words  "  Culpable  Niggardness."  He  has 
given  us  all,  all  that  we  possess  in  this  World,  all  that  we 
hope  for  in  the  next.  Shall  we  not  give  Him  something  ? 
Do  we  value  the  privileges,  which  we  possess,  if  we  do  not 
assist  those,  who  strive  to  extend  them  to  others.  The  free 
Anglo-Saxon  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic  is  not  content  to 
enjoy  Freedom,  but  wishes  to  impart  it  to  others.  The 
Christian  wishes  the  message  of  Salvation  to  be  conveyed  to 
the  whole  world.  On  the  Clock  of  History  the  Hour  for 
Missions  has  sounded.  I  write  with  a  profound  conviction, 
that  the  Church,  the  Family,  and  the  Individual,  if  they  do 
not  place  the  Duty  of  conquering  new  kingdoms  to  the  Lord 
in  the  first  line  of  their  obligations,  abdicate  their  position. 
Those,  who  are  most  liberal  to  Home-requirements,  are  not 
less  forward  in  aiding  Foreign  Missions. 

Nor  is  it  money  only  that  the  Lord  requires.  What  shall 
be  said  of  those,  who  withhold  personal  ser\ice,  if  the  message 
has  come  to  them;  if  the  Lord  has  unmistakeably  called  them; 
if  He  has  given  them  talents,  and  leisure,  and  opportunities  ? 
What  shall  be  said  of  parents,  who  withhold  their  children, 
who  are  willing  to  go,  and  who  have  no  field  of  usefulness 
at  home .''  Where  that  exists,  and  they  have  a  vocation  in 
the  Home-Missions,  among  the  poor  and  suffering  of  their 
own  people,  it  is  mere  idle  will-worship,  and  desire  of  change, 
that  tempts  them  to  new  and  not  better  things.  But,  where 
they  are  sitting  at  home  with  folded  hands,  doing  nothing, 
crushed   by   the  conventionalities   of  home-family-life,   eating. 


(       XV       ) 

drinking,  and  sleeping,  Parents !  Parents !  if  the  Lord  calls 
them,  let  them  go.  Early  Death,  tedious  disease,  some  other 
kind  of  misfortune,  will  come  upon  you,  as  a  punishment  for 
robbing  the  Master  of  His  own.  What  happened  to  the 
servant,  who  wrapped  his  talent  in  a  napkin  ? 

The  Missionary  appears  to  me  to  be  the  highest  type 
of  human  excellence  in  •  the  Nineteenth  Century,  and  his 
profession  to  be  the  noblest.  He  has  the  enterprize  of  the 
Merchant,  without  the  narrow  desire  of  gain,  the  dauntless- 
ness  of  the  Soldier,  without  the  necessity  of  shedding  blood, 
the  zeal  of  the  Geographical  Explorer,  but  for  a  higher 
motive  than  Science.  Now,  if  there  is  anything  greater  than 
a  British  Missionary,  it  is  an  American.  My  words  may  be  read 
on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  and  I  write  them  deliberately: 
if  my  convictions  were  the  other  way,  I  should  not  hesitate 
to  express  them. 

I  have  come  in  contact  with  both  any  time  during  the  last 
forty  years:  it  seems  to  me,  that  the  American  Churches  send  out 
their  best  men,  and  that  Great  Britain  keeps  her  best  at  home. 
We  hear  of  British  Colonial  Bishops  giving  up  Missionary 
duties  to  take  Dioceses  in  Great  Britain,  but  no  instance  of  the 
reverse  process  has  been  recorded.  We  hear  of  Missionaries 
giving  up  their  blessed  labours  to  retire  in  middle  life  to  a 
comfortable  British  Home,  but  rarely  of  the  beneficed  Clergy- 
man flinging  up  his  Home-advantages,  and  comforts,  to  go  out 
and  live  and  die  among  the  Heathen,  and  yet  Paul,  and  Xavier, 
and  scores  of  others  in  times  past,  have  done  so  ;  and,  until  this 
is  done,  the  Missionary  spirit  of  Great  Britain  has  not  reached 
its  high-water  mark :  the  cares  of  this  world,  and  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  riches,  have  choked  the  good  seed.  It  is  the  rich 
endowments  of  the  Church  of  England,  that  draw  so  much  of 
our  ability  and  our  energy  into  Cathedral-enclosures,  or  comfort- 
able Rectories,  where  all  the  acquired  learning.  Missionary 
fervour,  and  God-given  intellect,  is  allowed  to  rust,  and  become 
like  the  talent  put  away  in  the  napkin.  The  rich  provision,  made 
by  our  forefathers  for  the  Church,  Established  by  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment, has  proved  the  Capua  of  many  a  Soldier  of  Christ,  who 
might  have  been  a  Missionary,  but  fell  to  the  lower  status  of  a 
Dean,  or  Prebend,  or  well-fed  Rector. 


(     xvi      ) 

Above  all  things,  let  us  do  our  best,  that  the  historical  dissensions 
of  the  Christian  Church  in  Europe  should  not  be  repeated  in 
Asia,  Africa,  and  Oceania.  This  is  one  of  the  great  blights  of 
Modern  Missions,  and  one  of  the  occasions  to  blaspheme  given 
to  the  Infidel,  the  Indifferent,  and  the  Papist.  Can  any  one 
read  such  Biographies,  as  those  of  Steere  and  Saker,  Judson  and 
Ragland,  Hannington  and  Carey,  Duff"  and  Williams,  Patteson, 
and  Krapf,  without  feeling,  that  after  all,  it  is  the  same  Spirit, 
appearing  in  diff"erent  human  forms  }  A  certain  amount  of 
rivalry  is  required.  A  great  uniform  self-satisfied  National 
Church  would  probably  have  done  nothing.  The  astute  Church 
of  Rome  entrusts  the  work  to  twelve  great  Congregations,  in- 
dependent of  each  other,  and  of  Provincial  Episcopal  control, 
and  not  loving  each  other  very  particularly.  Men  require  to  be 
provoked  to  good  works,  and  something  more. 

The  words  of  a  late  Bishop,  one  of  the  ablest  conductors  of 
Missionary  enterprizes,  are  given  in  his  Life  :  "  We  shall  have 
"  the  benefit  of  independent  and  intelligent  criticism,  a  thing 
"  which  Missions  generally  are  very  much  in  need  of." 

25  August,  1888. 


il^oteiS  on  fl^tfistonarp  Subjects. 


part  E. 

ESSAY  I. 


OBSERVATIONS  and   REFLECTIONS 


MISSIONARY    SOCIETIES. 


CHAP.    I.      MISSIONS,    AND    THE    GOVERNING    BODIES. 


CHAP.    II.     MISSIONARIES,    AND    THE    FIELD. 


SECOND      AND      ENLARGED      EDITION. 


rioWtDf    ai>9j)W7rwi>   iCev    uffrca,    kuI    voou    i^vw. 


There  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  tlie  same  Spirit,  and  ttiere  are  differences  of  administrations, 
but  the  same  Lord. — i.  Cor.  xii.  4,  5. 


WORKS    BY    THE    SAME    AUTHOR. 


MODERN  LANGUAGES  OF  THE  EAST  INDIES.     1878. 

MODERN  LANGUAGES  OF  AFRICA.     1883. 

MODERN  LANGUAGES    OF    THE    CAUCASUS.     1886. 

MODERN  LANGUAGES  OF  OCEANIA.     1887. 

LINGUISTIC   AND   ORIENTAL   ESSAYS.      First   Series. 
1880. 

LINGUISTIC  AND  ORIENTAL  ESSAYS.    Second  Series. 

1887. 

SKETCHES   OF   ANGLO-INDIAN   LIFE.     1881. 

THE  SHRINES  OF  LOURDES,  SARAGOSSA,  LORETTO, 
AND  JERUSALEM.     1885. 

Trubner   &   Co.,   Ludgatc  Hill,   London,   E.C. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Missions,  and  the  Governing  Bodies. 

1.  Different  Kinds  

II.  Pioneer  Missions   

III.  Solitary  Missions 

IV.  Small  Societies      

V.  Unduly  large  Societies 

VI.  Opening  new  and  neglecting  old  Missions         

VII.  Religious  Education  only       

VIII.  Not  beyond  the  social  status  of  the  converts     

IX.  Unexpensive  Buildings  

X.  Self-supporting  Native  Church    

XL  Some  organization  necessary 

XII.  Forbearance  to  Schismatics  

XIII.  Intoxicating  liquors     

XIV.  Baptisms  in  public 

XV.  No  State  Church,  or  Secular  arm     

XVI.  No  meddling  in  Politics,  or  attacking  the  Customs  of  the 

People 

XVII.  Missions  not  to  be  a  pretence  for  Political  interference      

XVIII.  No  Purchase  of  Slave-children,  or  use  of  Slave-labour 

XIX.   Home-organization      

XX.  Local  Committees 

XXI.  Mission  Fields  to  be  marked  off       

XXII.  Comity  of  Missions 

XXIII.  Civilization  not  the  object  of  Missions  

XXIV.  No  proselyting  of  Christian  Churches    

XXV,  No  arming  of  Native  Converts  

XXVI.  No  permanent  endowments  to  be  made 

XXVII.  The  Society  not  to  be  set  above  Christ        

XXVIII.  No  scoffing  at  Heathen  idols       

XXIX.  Income  of  Society  to  be  carefully  guarded  

XXX.  Proper  views  as  to  Income  and  Expenditure     

XXXI.  Missionary  Periodicals  

XXXII.  Pulpit  and  Platform  Addresses    

XXXIII.  Sensational  Gatherings  

XXXIV.  Dangers  of  European  Annexations         


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CHAPTER  IL 

Missionaries,  and  the  Field. 

I.  Different  kinds 

II.  Necessity  of  a  Chief  Pastor  

HI.   Unpaid  Agents  


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(  X  ) 


IV.   Social  Status  

V.    Language  

VI.   Provision  for  maintenance  

VII.   Obedience  of  Missionary  to  Parent-Committee       

VIII.   Loyalty  of  Missionary  to  Parent-Committee      

IX.  High  Standard  of  Morality    

X.  Gentleness  in  their  dealings  with  the  people 
XI.   Respect  to  Religious  prejudices 
XII.  Boasting  excluded 

XIII.  Use  of  Native  Dress    

XIV.  Care  of  Health       

XV.  Living  among  the  people        

XVI.  Position  of  Native  Agents  

XVII.  Narrowness  of  vision 

XVIII.  Abstention  from  other  work        

XIX.  Continuance  at  their  post       

XX.  No  undue  care  for  results 

XXI.  Unpopularity  of  Missionaries  and  Missions 

XXII.  Reports  of  other  Societies  

XXIII.  The  Missionary's  own  Reports 

XXIV.  He  should  not  promote  War  among  tribes        

XXV.  He  should  not  teach  his  flock  European  differences 

XXVI.   He  should  not  take  up  fads  and  and  crazes 

XXVII.   He  should  not  seek  Secular  Honours  

XXVIII.  He  should  not  resist  the  Police-Authorities       

XXIX.  He  should  seek  his  own  Self-effacement 

XXX.  He  should  not  open  a  refuge  to  runaway  Slaves 
XXXI.  He  should  support  authority  of  Native  Chief 
XXXII.  He  should  have  kindly  intercourse  with  his  people 

XXXIII.  How  far  is  Education  desirable  as  an  agency  ? 

XXXIV.  He  should  never  use  physical  force        

XXXV.  Transit-duties  and  Taxation 

XXXVI.   Creation  of  Christian  life  in  a  community  

XXXVII.   The  right  of  a  Father  over  his  child 

XXXVIII.  The  three  qualifications  of  a  Missionary  

XXXIX.  Abstention  from  Commerce  and  Agriculture 

XL.  Needful  attributes  of  a  Missionary  

XLI.  No  abuse  of  Sacred  books  of  the  Non-Christian    

XLII.  Abstention  from  public  Secular  office    

XLI  1 1.  No  exaggerated  statements  of  wickedness  of  the  Heathen 

XLIV.   Pride  of  Race  to  be  eradicated    

XLV.  Necessity  for  Native  Teachers  

XLVI.  No  amalgamation  of  European  and  Native  Churches 

XLVII.   Elements  of  the  Lord's  Supper         

XLVIII.   No  separate  Christian  Villages    

XLIX.  No  change  of  political  status  of  converts     

L.  A  Bishop's  advice  to  his  subordinates    

LI.  The  indirect  effect  of  Education        

LII.  A  Missionary  should  not  take  lessons  in  Musquetry    

LIII.  A  Missionary  should  be  at  peace  with  his  colleagues 

LI  V.  All  Missionaries  have  not  the  great  Grace  of  converting  souls 


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I. 

OBSERVATIONS- AND    REFLECTIONS    ON 
MISSIONARY    SOCIETIES. 

Chapter  I. — Missions,  and  the  Governing  Bodies. 

I.  They  are  of  different  kinds.  From  this  sketch  all  attempts 
at  proselyting  Christians  of  one  denomination,  and  all  provisions 
for  the  spiritual  wants  of  true  Christians,  are  rigidly  excluded. 
My  thoughts  are  restricted  to  the  non-Christian  world.  In  some 
very  few  Missions,  as  regards  the  life  and  health  of  the  Mis- 
sionary, there  is  no  cause  for  anxiety  from  the  climate,  or  the 
absence  of  civilization  of  the  people,  or  the  want  of  ordinary 
limited  comforts  of  civilized  life.  In  British  India  he  has  the 
civilization,  but  the  climate  is  against  him,  but  there  is  a  strong 
and  just  Christian  Government,  with  entire  Toleration,  and  liberty 
of  Conscience.  In  China,  Japan,  and  Turkey  he  has  less  to 
suffer  from  climate ;  but  the  vagaries  of  an  Asiatic  Government, 
and  the  inconvenience  of  an  Oriental  Civilization,  have  to  be 
contended  against.  A  Mission  to  Africa,  Oceania,  and  North 
America,  is  the  hardest  problem,  that  has  to  be  solved,  requiring 
the  greatest  amount  of  devotion,  and  rich  in  the  greatest  bless- 
ings.    In  the  scale  of  sacrifice  let  this  never  be  forgotten. 

II.  Distinct  from  all  other  Missions  is  the  Pioneer-Mission, 
and  the  most  misunderstood.  The  Missionary  is  indeed  neither 
a  Geographer,  nor  an  Explorer,  nor  a  Hunter,  nor  a  Colonizer, 
nor  a  speculator  in  Commerce  and  Agriculture,  but  he  must 
take  cognizance  of  such  things.  His  very  existence  sometimes 
depends  upon  his  capacity  in  one  or  other  of  these  accomplish- 
ments. 

In  reading  the  life  of  a  servant  of  God  now  at  rest,  to  whom 
was  given  the  exceeding  great  privilege  of  founding  a  Christian 
Mission  in  Africa,  and  translating  the  whole  of  the  Bible  into  a 
previously  unknown  language  for  the  use  of  the  tribe,  amidst 
which  his  Mission  was  founded,  we  are  surprised  to  find,  that 
unjust  assertions  were  made  by  his  colleagues,  though  in  good 
faith  and  Christian  love,  that  his  work  was  not  spiritual,  that  he 
thought  too  much  of  the  material  aspect  of  the  Mission,  and  too 
little  of  the  Souls  of  the  People  given  to  him. 


(      2      ) 

The  subject  is  one,  which  demands  our  serious  attention.  We 
must  think  it  out,  as  it  stands  at  our  doors.  None  but  those, 
who  throw  themselves  into  Mission-work,  and  devour  Mission- 
Reports,  are  aware,  that  a  Committee  of  a  Missionary  Society  has 
to  discharge  the  duty  of  a  Quarter-Master-General,  the  Head  of 
a  great  Commissariat,  a  Board  of  Architects,  Shipbuilders,  and 
Engineers,  a  Board  of  Finance,  a  Council  of  Education,  a  Com- 
mittee of  Geographical  Explory,  a  Superintendent  of  a  Transla- 
ing,  and  Publishing  firm,  as  well  as  other  secular  duties. 

There  are  some  among  us,  before  whose  unpractical  vision 
floats  the  idea,  the  romantically  blessed  idea,  of  two  and  two 
being  sent  out  without  scrip,  or  change  of  raiment,  without 
provision  for  roof-tree,  or  sustenance,  to  be  fed  by  the  ravens, 
and  grow  like  the  lilies  of  the  field.  There  are  others,  perhaps 
young  ardent  spirits,  preparing  for  the  fight,  who  dream  of  the 
Preacher  of  the  Gospel  under  the  branches  of  the  wide-spreading 
tree,  addressing  a  meek,  and  gentle,  and  willing,  auditory  of 
Savages,  born  again  as  little  children,  only  too  ready  to  hear, 
and  wondering,  why  the  Word  of  life  had  been  kept  from  them  so 
many  hundred  years.  One  dear  man,  now  at  rest,  thought,  that 
he  was  serving  God  by  riding  on  a  Camel  from  tribe  to  tribe  in 
South  Africa,  and  addressing  the  people  through  an  interpreter. 

Is  it  so  }  Let  us  consider  the  environment  of  the  IMissionary, 
who  breaks  ground  in  a  new  field,  ignorant  of  the  language,  and 
the  customs,  thrown  into  a  country,  where  there  are  no  habita- 
tions, no  ordinary  supplies  of  his  usual  food,  not  even  the 
rudimentary  conditions  of  decent  life  in  its  lowest  form,  and 
no  constituted  authority. 

I  have  myself  been  the  first  and  only  Englishman  in  a  newly- 
conquered  Region,  where  the  people  flocked  in  to  look  at  the 
white  man.  I  have  had  to  make  the  best  of  a  native  house,  and 
such  food  as  the  country  supplied,  or  I  could  bring  with  me  from 
more  civilized  places.  I  had  with  me  the  prestige  of  power  and 
authority,  not  visible  indeed,  but  felt  by  all,  who  knew  of  the 
Military  Cantonments,  not  so  far  off.  Thus  in  a  tropical  climate 
I  can  in  a  small  way  realize  the  difficulty  of  the  Missionary.  But 
Africa,  and  Oceania,  are  not  like  India.  The  people  are  in  culture, 
and  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  much  further  below  the  Indian, 
than  the  Indian  is  below  the  European :  the  climate  of  Africa  is 
a  hundredfold  more  deadly :  the  prestige  of  power  is  totally 
absent :  the  soil  does  not  supply  the  means  of  civilized  life,  while 
India  is  as  a  garden  in  fertility,  and  agricultural  wealth.  I  bring 
out  these  points  clearly,  that  the  problem  may  be  understood, 
and  that  the  principle,  which  I  now  proceed  to  lay  down,  may 
not  be  contemptuously  rejected,  but  fairly  thought  out.  Spiritual 
men  need  not  act  like  fools.     It  is  this : 

That   the   first  period  of  a  Christian  Mission  in  Africa,  and  Oceania,  must 


(     3     ) 

necessarily  deal  much  more  with  material  matters  than  spiritual:  that  the 
teaching  of  the  people  must  be  indirect  by  doing  Christian  thmgs  in  a  Christian 
way,  rather  than  by  direct  teaching  and  preaching. 

The  length  of  that  period  must  depend  upon  circumstances :  it 
should  not  in  the  absence  of  any  great  calamity  exceed  ten  years : 
it  may  possibly  be  much  shorter.  The  Parent-Committee  must 
be  patient,  tolerant  of  errors,  and  sympathizing  with  failures. 

Take  such  a  Mission-enterprize  as  that  of  Equatorial  Africa, 
commenced  by  the  Church  Missionary  Society  in  1878.  In 
defiance  of  all  rules  of  strategy,  and  forgetful  of  the  wisdom  of 
keeping  open  communications  with  the  base  of  operations,  the 
first  party  of  Missionaries  made  direct  for  Victoria  Nyanza  ;  a 
certain  portion  of  their  number  reached  it,  occupied  a  post  at 
the  capital  Rubaga,  and  have  held  it  continuously  to  this  day. 
In  the  interval  stations  have  been  opened,  connecting  this 
advanced  post  with  the  base  of  Zanzibar.  The  work  of  the  last 
ten  years  has  been  mainly  inaterial,  rather  than  spiritual :  the 
real  work  is  hardly  yet  commenced.  We  must  tarry  the  Lord's 
leisure. 

Some  take  a  romantic  view  of  such  an  enterprize  :  they  are 
neither  able,  nor  willing,  to  think  of  the  details  :  their  simple 
souls  cannot  take  in  a  conception  of  the  great  gulf  fixed  between 
them  and  their  Missionary.  Some  prudent  Statesmen,  and 
Consuls,  look  upon  the  enterprize  with  a  kindly  eye,  for  the  sake 
of  its  civilizing,  rather  than  evangelizing,  results,  but  quite  realize 
the  enormous  difficulties  of  the  operation.  Those,  who  study 
Missionary  Chronicles,  and  know  Missionary-work,  are  convinced, 
that  the  material  requirements  of  the  Mission  must  be  considered 
in  the  first  decade  to  make  good,  continuous,  and  lasting  Evan- 
gelical work  possible  in  the  second,  or  even  third. 

The  ministration  of  the  district-visitors  in  a  crowded  European, 
or  North  American,  town,  who  go  from  house  to  house,  with 
kindly  words,  and  material  assistance  to  pressing  wants,  is  not 
strictly  spiritual  work,  any  more  than  the  work  of  secular 
Education  in  the  night-school  is  spiritual,  but  such  operations 
are  necessary  concomitants,  or  even  conditions  precedent,  of 
spiritual  work.  I  quote  an  extract  from  a  Report  on  South 
Africa  : 

Thus  another  year  has  been  spent  in  pioneering.  There  has  been  much  toil, 
much  anxiety,  much  suffering,  and  appai'ently  little  result.  Yet,  the  lack  of 
result  is  only  apparent,  not  real.  The  labourers  have  been  honestly,  and  with 
all  their  hearts,  preparing  the  way  of  the  Lord.  The  Society  has  cause  to 
be  proud  of  the  truly  heroic  and  faithful  band,  who  represent  it  in  Central 
Africa.  Every  letter  gives  evidence  of  the  spirit  of  true  Christian  devotion, 
which  inspires  them  to  labour,  to  suffer,  and  to  wait.  Riveting  metal-plates, 
managing  a  boat  on  the  stormy  watei^s  of  the  lake,  collecting  words  for 
vocabularies  of  the  native  tongues,  dealing  justly  with  the  people,  enduring  much 
hardship  in  long  journeys,  telling  the  heathen  chiefs  in  simplest  terms  the  story 


(     4     ) 

of  Creation,  of  man's  fall,  and  of  Christ's  redemption,  instructing  a  few 
unwilling  scliolars  in  the  first  mysteries  of  spelling,  it  has  all  been  evidently 
work  for  the  Master,  and  His  Spirit  has  been  with  them.  Such  life,  such  work, 
are  not  in  vain.  They  are  makuig  a  road  for  the  future  ;  they  are  levelling  the 
mountains,  and  filling  the  valleys  preparatory  to  the  revelation  of  the  Lord.  It 
is  hard  work,  apparently  endless  work. 

There  is  not  yet  a  single  avowed  convert,  nor  is  there  even  a  regular 
congregation  in  connection  with  either  of  the  stations.  Moreover,  the  people 
are  so  entirely  given  up  to  the  business  of  fighting  and  plunder,  the  power  of 
the  chiefs  is  so  absolute,  and  distrust  of  each  other,  and  gross  superstition,  have 
so  terrible  an  influence,  that,  humanly  speaking,  it  seems  hopeless  to  expect  a 
change.  Again  and  again  men  seem  to  become  interested,  and  begin  to  learn 
the  truths  of  Christianity  ;  but,  as  soon  as  this  has  been  observed,  suddenly  some 
mysterious  influence  seems  to  be  exerted  on  the  hopeful  ones,  and  they  at  once, 
and  without  explanation,  withdraw  from  all  intercourse  with  the  Missionaries. 
Youths  come  to  school,  and  seem  to  be  making  some  progress  in  learning  to 
read,  the  Missionaries  begin  to  hope,  that  they  are  coming  under  favourable 
influences,  then  the  annual  war  fever  sweeps  over  the  country,  and  at  once  the 
most  docile  and  hopeful  scholar  seems  transformed,  all  the  passions  of  the  savage 
man  are  stirred,  and  he  goes  off  eager  to  join  his  elders  in  what  is  regarded  as 
the  only  pursuit  worthy  of  men.  Only  one  signal  manifestation  of  the  Grace 
of  God  arresting  the  attention  and  bringing  conviction  to  the  heart  of  the  chief, 
or  some  of  the  leading  men  of  the  country,  and  through  their  conversion 
impressing  the  whole  of  the  people  ;  or  some  signal  judgment  of  God,  by  which 
the  warlike  instincts  of  the  nation  shall  be  rebuked,  and  their  power  for 
mischief  shall  be  broken,  is  likely  to  effect  any  change  in  the  present  condition 
of  things. 

This  Missionary  spoke  the  feelings  of  many. 

A  Missionary  from  the  Kongo  writes,  that  it  is  difficult  to  give 
an  accurate  idea  of  his  work ;  as  he  had  everything  to  do,  or 
to  personally  superintend,  while  it  was  being  done  :  building, 
gardening,  fencing,  road-making,  cooking,  washing,  doctoring, 
teaching,  preaching :  all  demands  his  care  in  turn. 

A  IMissionary  from  West  Africa  writes,  that,  strange  as  it  may 
seem,  it  is  an  important  part  of  Mission-work  to  teach  the 
people  how  to  farm,  how  to  build  and  live  in  houses,  how  to 
cook  food,  how  to  make  and  wear  clothing,  how  to  take  care  of 
their  bodies  as  well  as  their  souls. 

Livingstone  remarks  that : 

The  end  of  the  Geographical  feat  is  the  commencement  of  the  Christian 

enterprize. 

The  duty  of  the  Committee  is  to  watch  this  state  of  things 
lovingly  and  sympathetically,  and  not  to  allow  it  to  last  too  long; 
as  new  INIissionaries  go  out  to  relieve  veterans  worn  out,  to 
remind  them,  that  they  are  entering  on  the  labours  of  others,  and 
must  think  oi  spiritual  things. 

III.  The  next  matter  is  the  objection  to  solitary  and  single- 
handed  Missions.  Our  Lord  sent  out  his  disciples  two  and  two. 
The  Roman  Catholic  Church  makes  it  a  rule  absolute,  that  no 
agent  ordained  or  lay  should  be  alone.     There  is  comfort  and 


(     5     ) 

support  in  fellowship,  and  there  is  the  check  imposed  by  the 
presence  of  a  Brother  against  the  first  temptations  to  Sin.  We 
should  try  to  paint  to  ourselves  the  Missionary'  left  many  months 
quite  alone.  I  have  known  it  as  a  public  officer,  and  in  my  youth 
I  enjoyed  it,  while  ruling-  a  people,  whom  I  loved,  with  all  the 
surroundings  of  Anglo-Indian  comfort,  in  a  climate,  which  during 
the  winter  season  is  magnificent :  but  during  the  hot  season  I 
dwelt  in  houses  in  the  midst  of  my  fellow-men.  But  the  Mis- 
sionary is  often  in  the  deadliest  climate,  .in  the  most  rudimentary 
kind  of  habitation,  without  medical  advice,  without  a  friend 
to  sustain  his  failing  spirit.  Some  holy  men  have  made  their 
solitary  moan,  and  no  one,  but  their  God,  has  known  how  they 
died.  It  does  sometimes  happen,  and  within  my  knowledge,  that 
a  particular  Missionary  is  of  such  a  disposition,  that  he  cannot 
get  on  with  his  colleagues,  and  has  to  be  consigned  to  an  isolated 
spot :  such  instances  of  infirmity  should  be  the  exception  :  the 
INIissionary,  who  has  failed  to  convert  himself,  will  scarcely  be 
an  efficient  agent  to  convert  others.  Better  is  he,  that  ruleth  his 
spirit,  than  he  who  taketh  a  city.  Therefore  I  repeat:  withdraw 
the  Missionary  for  a  time,  rather  than  leave  him  alone  :  it  is  bad 
for  him  spiritually,  morally  and  physically.  Some  have  been 
tempted  by  solitude  and  fallen. 

IV.  There  is  an  objection  to  small  Societies,  and  the  smaller 
they  are,  the  greater  the  objection.  The  non-Christian  world 
must  be  conquered  by  great  battalions,  not  by  Knights-Errant, 
and  romantic  and  ill-considered  attempts,  made  by  mis-directed 
enthusiasm.  I  have  known  too  many  of  such  mushrooms.  They 
fade  away  or  die  with  their  founders.  Consider  then  the  waste 
of  time  and  money,  the  vacillation,  the  delay  from  want  of  funds 
and  men,  the  nullity  of  effect.  Many  such  may  be  found  on  the 
conspectus  of  Missions,  published  in  London.  June,  1888,  but 
my  remarks  are  to  be  colourless.  A  wise  governing  Committee, 
an  Agency  for  collecting  funds,  and  preparing  agents,  are  neces- 
sary. Such  Skirmishers  do  mischief,  and  impede  the  progress 
of  the  great  Army,  and  sometimes  cause  scandals.  I  make  this 
remark  with  knowledge.  In  the  case  of  a  small  Society  the 
charges  for  the  Home-Office  necessarily  have  an  unduly  large 
average.  I  do  not  wish  to  despise  the  day  of  small  things,  but 
that  day  has  passed  by,  and  greater  progress  will  be  made  by 
strengthening  existing  Societies.  I  know  of  one  Society,  whose 
efficiency  has  been  diminished  by  parasitical  growths,  or  extra- 
neous grafts,  which  have  become  suckers,  rather  than  feeders, 
of  the  Parent-Society.  A  Society,  which  is  to  continue  and  to 
flourish,  must  be  rooted  in  a  Church,  or  a  Denomination,  or  a 
Branch  of  a  Church,  and  must  not  depend  on  the  life  and  energy 
of  an  individual,  a  family,  or  a  private  body  of  friends.  If  it  has 
no  root,  it  will  fade  away  and  perish,  as  many  have  done,  and  the 


(     6     ) 

poor  converts  will  be  left  as  a  prey  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Priests 
But  the  Church  is  not  necessarily  in  its  corporate  capacity  the 
best  machinery  for  managing  Foreign  IMissions :  quite  the  con- 
trary. I  have  developed  this  subject  in  Part  III.  Essay  II.  Mr. 
Venn  describes  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  as  aChurch  Society 
within  the  Church,  without  a  Royal  Charter,  in  subordination  to 
Church-authority,  but  based  on  voluntary  action,  ready  to  sacrifice 
a  great  deal  to  maintain  Church-order,  but  not  the  saving  of 
souls. 

V.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  an  objection  to  unduly  large 
Societies.  There  is  too  often  a  vaunting  spirit,  and  a  desire 
to  go  071 :  the  Books  of  Joshua  and  Judges  are  freely  quoted, 
forgetting  that  these  remarks  applied  only  to  the  commencement 
of  the  occupation  of  Palestine,  and,  as  a  fact,  that  occupation 
never  was  complete.  When  Secretaries  are  multiplied,  one  of  two 
things  will  happen,  either  the  work  of  the  Society  will  be  sub- 
divided, and  a  difference  of  practice  may  possibly  arise,  or  in  the 
strain  for  each  Secretary,  and  Member  of  the  Committee,  to 
inform  himself  of  the  whole,  the  work  will  be  scamped ;  there 
will  be  a  continuous  unhappy  struggle  to  keep  abreast  of  the 
work,  with  no  time  for  quiet  counsel,  or  interchange  of  views. 
By  dividing  the  Committee  into  Groups,  greater  despatch  and 
more  accurate  control  is  secured.  No  secular  work  could  be  carried 
on  successfully  under  such  conditions,  as  are  presented  by  an 
ever-changing  Committee,  a  sitting  that  lasts  nine  or  ten  hours, 
during  part  of  which  time  there  is  a  crowd,  and  during  the  later 
hours  one  or  two  Members,  retained  only  by  force,  or  a  sense  of 
duty,  and  the  paper  of  Agenda  hurried  through.  There  are 
practical  dangers  in  an  Executive  Committee  being  too  large,  as 
proved  in  the  late  scandals  in  the  London  Board  of  Works. 
Details  must  be  settled  by  a  small  selected  body. 

VI.  Still  more  objectionable  is  that  fatal  desire,  that  seizes 
some  Societies,  to  be  always  taking  up  new  work,  and  neglect- 
ing and  starving  the  old  work.  It  amounts  to  folly  and  madness. 
In  each  Mission-Field  there  is  a  natural  healthy  internal  growth, 
at  once  the  evidence,  and  forerunner,  of  success,  requiring  annu- 
ally an  increase  of  expenditure.  It  is,  as  if  the  Father  of  a 
Family,  instead  of  providing  for  the  annually  increasing  legiti- 
mate wants  of  his  own  children,  should  waywardly  adopt  new 
children,  and  nourish  these  at  the  cost  of  starving  his  elder  family. 
A  new  scheme  sounds  fair  enough  :  some  one  is  always  found 
ready  to  pay  the  expense  for  three  or  five  years,  but  after  that 
time  the  Society  has  to  provide,  or  the  result  of  the  whole  outlay 
is  lost.  The  Scriptural  advice  of  counting  the  cost,  before  a 
tower  is  commenced,  the  dictates  of  common  sense,  the  example 
of  secular  administration,  the  warning  voice  of  the  more  prudent 
members  of  the  Committee,  are  all  set  aside  by  the  restless 


(     7     ) 

fervour  of  some  enthusiasts  for  new  work,  somebody  who  happens 
to  have  a  relation,  or  an  interest,  in  some  particular  field.  The 
charge  of  want  of  Faith  is  cast  into  the  teeth  of  those  who  object, 
forgetting,  that  we  are  told  to  use  our  talents  to  the  utmost,  but 
not  beyond  our  talents.  The  same  principles,  which  guide  the 
private  life  of  individual  Christian  men,  should  guide  the  opera- 
tions of  collective  Christians. 

VII.  There  is  great  objection  to  the  prosecution  of  Educa- 
tion, which  has  not  a  strictly  Missionary  object.  It  is  not  the 
duty  of  Missionary  Societies  to  give  a  cheap  Secular  Education 
to  the  natives  of  any  country.  School-teaching  is  a  lawful 
expenditure  of  Missionary  Funds,  only  when  its  sole  object  is 
conversion  of  Souls.  It  may  be,  that  in  some  countries  Educa- 
tion is  the  only  method  available  ;  still,  if  it  cannot  be  conducted 
on  strictly  Christian  principles,  it  should  not  be  undertaken. 
The  School  must  be  opened,  and  closed,  with  prayer,  and  the 
Bible  be  taught  without  any  reserve,  or  limitation.  No 
conscience-clauses  should  be  tolerated  in  a  Mission-School.  If 
State-Grants  are  saddled  with  such  conditions,  they  should  be 
refused.  Heathen  teachers  should  not  be  employed,  and,  if  the 
Missionary  thinks,  that  he  can  only  secure  such  success  in 
secular  studies,  as  will  warrant  a  State-Grant,  by  sacrifice  of 
religious  instruction,  he  should  give  up  the  Grant.  Unless  the 
scholars  attend  the  Prayers,  and  religious  teaching,  they  should 
not  be  admitted.  There  is  a  tendency  in  some  quarters  to 
devote  Missionary  Funds  to  Higher  Education:  this  error 
should  be  guarded  against.  The  object  of  Missions  is  Spiritual, 
not  Intellectual,  to  make  Christians,  not  Scholars,  or  citizens 
(see  Part  II.  Essay  VII.). 

VIII.  There  is  also  great  objection  to  any  form  of  Education, 
or  Training  of  Boys  or  Girls,  which  alters  per  se  their  social 
status.  It  is  no  kindness,  and  no  help  to  Conversion,  to  turn 
out  scholars,  who  have  been  elevated  above  the  social  position 
of  their  relatives,  and  lost  their  means  of  existence.  The  same 
principle  applies  to  the  education  of  the  labourer's  child  in 
England,  but  with  double  force  in  Asia,  Africa,  Oceania  and 
America.  What  is  to  become  of  the  nicely-educated,  elegantly- 
trained,  girls,  whom  I  have  seen  in  orphanages,  and  schools, 
fashioned  into  young  gentlewomen,  with  a  future  surrounded 
with  disappointments  and  perils  ?  Soberer  and  wiser  views  on 
the  part  of  the  Superintendent  would  restrict  the  education  to 
what  is  suitable  to  the  position  of  life,  in  which  God  has  placed 
them,  and  make  them  fit  to  be  wives  of  good  men,  who  are  not 
possessed  of  high  culture  or  large  resources,  but  to  whom  a 
pious,  and  moderately  instructed,  companion  will  be  a  great 
blessing. 

IX.  An  objection  of  the  same  kind  must  be  recorded  against 


(     8     ) 

the  erection  of  Buildings,  whether  places  of  worship,  residence, 
education,  or  healing,  on  too  expensive  a  scale  :  who  will  be 
able  to  repair  them,  or  rebuild  them,  as  when  in  course  of  time 
they  fall  into  decay  ?  What  false  kindness,  what  want  of  judg- 
ment, what  ostentation,  there  is  in  this !  It  is  falling  into  the 
manifest  error  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  an  extreme  party  of 
Protestants,  who  in  a  village  of  poor  natives  delight  to  fit  up  a 
temple,  decorated  with  finery,  worked  by  the  hands  of  devout 
ladies,  forgetting  that  God  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  by 
hands.  The  building  should  be  solid,  decent,  suited  to  the 
climate,  and  the  degree  of  culture  of  the  worshippers  :  it  should 
be  as  good  as,  or  better  than,  any  house  occupied  by  a  Christian 
in  the  village  or  town,  but  should  not  attempt  to  rival  the 
Mahometan  Mosque,  or  Hindu  Temple,  in  architectural  decora- 
tion. The  Church  of  Christ  consists  not  of  walls  and  roofs,  but 
of  the  Souls  of  the  worshippers. 

X.  This  leads  on  to  the  necessity  of  every  Native  community 
being  taught,  and  compelled  from  the  very  first,  to  be  self- 
supporting,  providing  for  its  Pastor,  Church-expenses,  and  the 
education  of  children.  No  material  inducement  should  be  held 
out  to  a  catechumen  to  accept  the  new  religion.  I  read,  that  in 
one  Mission  no  Church  is  organized,  unless  the  community  have 
a  man  ready  to  be  Pastor,  and  unless  they  are  ready  to  support 
him.  This  principle  ought  to  be  universally  accepted,  and  no 
permanent  progress  can  be  anticipated,  if  it  be  neglected. 

XI.  This  last  remark  presupposes  some  kind  of  organization, 
differing  according  to  the  idiosyncrasy  of  the  Church,  which  sent 
out  the  Mission.  However  much  denominationalists  may  be 
quite  sure  in  their  own  minds,  that  their  own  system  is  the 
best,  and  the  only  one,  the  wide  observer  of  human  affairs  can 
read  their  remarks  with  a  smile.  There  are  many  forms  of 
organization,  possessing  each  their  special  weakness,  and 
compensating  advantages,  and  no  arrangements  of  the  men  of 
this  generation  will  prevent  future  generations  altering  and  re- 
fashioning the  human  frame,  or  introducing  an  entirely  new  one. 
May  God  in  his  mercy  grant,  that  they  will  not  re-fashion  the 
doctrines,  re-interpret  the  Scriptures,  or  assert  new  Revelations! 

XII.  This  leads  to  remarks  on  the  necessity  of  great  ten- 
derness to  those,  who  differ  in  doctrine,  or  in  practice.  It  is 
astonishing  to  read  remarks,  made  by  Presbyterians  against 
Plymouthites,  as  bitter  and  unjustifiable  as  those,  that  were  made 
in  the  last  century  by  Episcopalians  against  Presbyterians.  The 
greatest  wisdom,  and  most  Christian  forbearance,  are  necessary 
in  such  cases.  In  South  India  a  large  number  of  Christian 
Churches  fell  into  the  delusion,  that  the  world  was  coming  to  an 
end  on  a  certain  day.  When  all  reasoning  failed,  the  prudent 
Missionary  adopted  the  policy  of  waiting,  and,  when  the  day 


(    9     ) 

passed  by,  and  all  things  went  on  as  before,  the  humbled 
enthusiasts  returned  to  their  Pastor,  and  admitted  their  errors. 
Undue  severity  even  in  case  of  moral  offences  is  to  be  deprecated, 
bearing  in  mind  the  low  standard  of  the  environment  of  the 
Neo-Christians,  and  the  examples,  supplied  in  the  Old  Testament, 
of  nearly  universal  moral  lapses,  and  laxness  of  conduct.  What 
will  become  of  the  man  put  out  of  the  Church  for  either  cause  ? 
It  entails  not  only  the  loss  of  the  soul  of  an  individual,  but  of  a 
family,  and  of  children  yetunborn. 

XIII.  Desirable  as  it  may  be  to  encourage  total  abstinence 
from  intoxicating  liquors  (and  the  precepts,  though  not  the 
universal  practice,  of  the  Hindu  and  Mahometan  Religions  are, 
in  such  matters,  on  the  side  of  the  Christian  Missionary),  odious 
as  is  the  custom  of  Slavery  and  Slave-dealing,  it  may  be  doubtful, 
whether  either  Scripture,  or  expediency,  justify  an  absolute 
prohibition.  The  gate  of  admission  into  the  Christian  Church 
should  not  be  made  narrower  than  our  Lord  made  it.  We  must 
not  be  accommodating,  on  the  one  hand,  to  sins  or  vices,  but 
we  must  not,  on  the  other  hand,  proscribe  innocent  customs. 
In  Central  India  the  women  were  forbidden  to  wear  flowers  in 
their  hair :  in  South  India  men  were  forbidden  to  wear  tufts  of 
hair.  Caste  is  foolishly  denounced  instead  of  being  fashioned 
into  a  means  of  moral  control  (see  Part  II.  Essay  IV.).  Care 
must  be  taken  not  to  lay  too  heavy  burdens  on  a  nascent 
Christianity,  which  is  not  imposed  on  the  Church  at  home. 
Precept  and  Example  will  go  a  great  way.  It  may  be  generally 
stated,  that  the  highest  Standard  of  Faith  and  Morality  should 
be  laid  down,  but  an  equitable  and  merciful  indulgence  should 
be  shown  to  backsliders. 

XIV.  I  next  come  on  the  astounding  fact,  that  in  one  Mission 
at  least  baptisms  are  performed  in  secret,  and  the  Neo-Christian 
has  not  the  grace  or  strength  to  confess  his  Saviour  before  the 
world.  If  I  had  not  heard  this  practice  justified  by  a  Missionary, 
I  should  not  have  believed  it.  Other  experienced  Missionaries 
have  refused  to  perform  such  baptisms.  Death  may  be  the 
written  punishment  of  Conversion  in  Mahometan  countries,  but 
no  Sovereign  would  dare  to  carry  it  into  execution  (see  Part 
III.  Essay  VI.).  At  any  rate,  the  duty  of  the  Christian  is 
obvious,  not  to  deny  his  Lord.  The  practice  of  instantaneous 
baptism  without  any  previous  training  seems  to  be  very  dangerous. 
I  have  heard  of  it  in  India  thirty  years  ago,  and  lately  the  practice 
has  been  brought  prominently  forward.  I  can  only  call  attention 
to  it.  The  practice  of  baptizing  dying  children  of  heathen  parents, 
of  sprinkling  dying  patients  in  hospitals,  appears  worthy  of 
condemnation,  as  converting  the  Sacrament  into  a  mere  magical 
formula :  and  yet  it  is  recorded  of  a  late  Bishop,  that  he  did  so, 
and  justified  it. 


(      10      ) 

XV.  I  here  beg  to  record  my  solemn  protest  against  the 
establishment  of  anything,  approaching  to  the  appearance  of  a 
State-Church  by  Missionaries  in  any  part  of  the  world.  How- 
ever advantageous  this  may  appear  in  the  outset,  it  is  sure  to 
bring  a  Nemesis  with  it.  The  fickle  Native  Potentate  may 
change  his  views,  or  die,  and  be  succeeded  by  a  new  King,  who 
knew  not  Joseph.  Extreme  difficulties  will  arise  with  other 
Missions  of  a  difterent  Denomination.  Besides,  the  spirituality 
of  the  Missionaries,  and  the  liberality  of  the  Congregations,  is 
impaired  by  such  contact.  Still  more  objectionable  is  the 
interference  of  a  European,  or  American,  power  in  defence 
of  Missions.  This  has  been  the  bane  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
system  everywhere.  I  mistrust  a  Missionary,  who  talks  about 
Treaty-rights  in  Turkey  or  China.  Missions  exist  in  Central 
Africa,  where  each  Missionary  carries  his  life  in  his  hand,  and  is 
beyond  the  protection  of  Consuls  and  Gunboats.  It  is  distressing 
to  read  of  the  Foreign  Office  being  asked  to  move  the 
representatives  of  Turkey  or  China  to  interfere  with  the  decisions 
of  the  Criminal  and  Civil  Courts.  No  independent  State  would 
tolerate  it:  no  Anglo-Indian  Judge  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  British  India  would  listen  for  a  moment  to  any  sugges- 
tion of  the  Executive  Government  of  British  India,  or  to  the 
representative  of  a  Foreign  Power,  in  a  case  pending  before  him.  I 
should  not  have  hesitated  to  fine  for  contempt  of  Court  any  in- 
dividual, be  he  who  he  may,  who  ventured  to  threaten  me,  or  bribe 
me.  And  yet  in  Turkey  the  Missionary  does  not  hesitate  to  use  all 
influences  to  interfere  with  the  Judicial  Authorities,  alleging 
that  they  are  bad.  They  knew  that  they  were  so,  when  they 
commenced  their  operations,  but  they  are  better  than  analogous 
institutions  in  Africa.  Gunboat -Christianity  is  Odious  (see 
Part  III.  Essays  IV.  and  V.).  Missionaries  should  be  very 
chary  of  claiming  the  protection  of  their  own  Government.  St. 
Paul  did  not  get  much  profit  by  appealing  to  Caesar  :  it  must  be 
a  bona-fide  subject,  that  claims  protection:  the  device  of  sending 
subjects  of  the  Shah  of  Persia  to  India  to  obtain  a  fictitious 
naturalization,  and  sending  them  back  to  Persia,  as  British 
subjects,  is  to  be  condemned.  A  Missionary,  who  would  solicit 
his  own  country  to  protect  him,  or  avenge  him,  or  exact 
compensation  for  alleged  loss,  is  much  to  be  condemned.  He 
asked  no  permission  to  go  there,  he  would  have  resented,  or 
evaded,  any  attempt  to  prevent  his  going  there.  If  he  cannot 
maintain  his  position,  he  must  quit  the  country.  Any  other 
policy  would,  as  stated  by  a  Member  in  the  House  of  Commons, 
convert  Missionaries  into  filibusters. 

XVI.  On  the  other  hand,  the  JMissionary  should  not  meddle 
in  the  Politics  of  the  Country,  in  which  he  is  located  :  he  seldom 
is   able  to  appreciate  the  value   of  the   forces,    which   are   in 


(  II  ) 

antagonism.  His  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  It  is  monstrous, 
when  a  Missionary  usurps  the  power  of  a  Magistrate,  or  a  Chief, 
and  tries  offenders,  and  sentences  them  to  corporal  punishment, 
imprisonment,  or  even  Death.  Within  the  last  ten  years  this 
has  happened  in  Africa.  In  a  Patriarchal  way  he  may  act  as 
umpire  to  remove  difficulties,  or  prevent  bloodshed  :  in  case  of 
moral  offences  among  his  converts  he  may  enforce  Church 
penalties,  but  he  should  carefully  abstain  from  personal  violence, 
and  personal  restraint.  It  may  be  a  question,  whether  he  is 
justified  in  using  lethal  weapons,  or  fire-arms,  in  resisting  an 
invading  band :  the  terrible  necessity  may  sometimes  be  forced 
upon  him  to  do  so  in  defence  of  life,  and  female  honour ;  but  I 
know  of  no  case,  where  matters  have  come  to  this  pass  in 
modern  times.  As  to  the  spoiling  of  goods  by  the  tyranny  of 
officials,  or  petty  Chiefs,  or  the  inroads  of  freebooters,  he  must 
take  it  joyfully.  As  to  avenging  the  death  of  a  fellow-labourer, 
or  follower,  he  must  not  think  of  it.  In  many  parts  of  Asia, 
Africa,  and  Oceania,  he  carries  his  life  in  his  hands,  and,  if  he  is 
not  content  to  do  so,  he  had  better  leave  the  field,  and  go  home: 
he  clearly  is  not  the  man  for  such  a  Mission  (see  Part  III. 
Essay  v.). 

Then,  again,  he  must  not  set  himself  up  as  a  Reformer,  or 
a  Patriot,  or  a  friend  of  oppressed  people  against  their  lawful 
Rulers.  Temperate  remonstrance  can  do  much,  and  his  very 
presence  is  a  safeguard  to  the  people  :  but,  if  a  Missionary  so 
conducts  himself  in  the  territory  of  an  independent  Chief,  how 
can  we  wonder,  that  the  Chief  forbids  his  entry  into  his  kingdom, 
or  ejects  him  beyond  his  frontier  ?  (see  Part  III.  Essay  IV.).  Still 
more  objectionable  is  his  interference  with  the  customs  of  the 
people,  such  as  are  not  obviously  contrary  to  Law,  Human  and 
Divine,  or  his  denouncing  particular  branches  of  Commerce. 
The  Parent-Society  should  forbid  all  such  extravagances,  and 
insist  upon  their  Agents  rendering  unto  Caesar  the  things  that 
arc  Ccesar's,  and  fixing  their  thoughts  upon  the  things  of  God. 
Missions  are  now  extending  everywhere,  and  are  susceptible  of 
infinite  expansion,  and,  if  they  are  to  succeed,  they  must  keep 
clear  of  worldly  contamination.  The  Jesuits  made  themselves 
last  century  Priests  and  Kings,  and  were  exterminated,  and 
detested.     I  quote  the  following  remarks  with  regard  to  China : 

In  regard  to  the  Missionary  question,  the  Yamen's  views  are  sound  and 
sensible.  It  recognizes  the  fact,  that  by  the  treaties  Missionaries  are  to  be 
allowed  to  teach,  and  they  and  their  converts  are  guaranteed  protection.  But 
it  will  not  submit  to  Missionaries  arrogating  to  themselves  an  official  status  and 
transacting  business  which  ought  properly  to  be  dealt  with  by  the  Chinese  local 
authorities,  nor  tolerate  their  converts  making  Christianity  a  cloak  to  protect 
them  from  the  consequences  of  breaking  the  laws  of  China. 

(See  Part  III.  Essays  III.  IV.  V.) 

XVII.  Nothing  can  be  more  reprehensible,  or  wicked,  than 


(       12       ) 

making  Missions  a  handle  for  political  enterprize.  This  is  the 
openly  avowed,  and  persistent,  practice  of  the  French  people-for 
nearly  half  a  century,  and  so  entirely  is  it  a  part  of  their  con- 
ception, that  they  impute  the  same  motives  to  British  and 
American  Missionary  Societies,  who  have  not  the  remotest 
tendency  in  that  direction.  It  is  remarkable  that,  though  in 
France  the  Religious  Societies  are  placed  under  a  ban  by  the 
Republic,  and  French  Priests  are  actually  expelled  from  Algeria, 
yet  in  all  parts  of  Asia,  Africa,  and  Oceania,  the  Republican 
Government  makes  use  of  the  Missionaries  for  the  purpose  of 
advancing  interests,  and  notably  large  grants  were  made  to 
Cardinal  Lavigerie  on  account  of  his  political  services  in 
Tunisia.  The  French  Roman  Catholic  Missionaries  everywhere 
identify  the  Christian  Religion  with  France.  In  the  Missionary 
periodical  published  weekly  at  Lyons,  called  the  Missions 
Catholiques,  so  persistently  was  it  imputed  to  the  Governments 
in  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  that  they  made  use  of 
the  Missionaries  of  their  respective  countries  to  advance  their 
political  interests,  that  in  1882  I  addressed  the  Editor  the  letter, 
of  which  a  copy  is  attached  to  this  paper,  but  it  had  no  effect, 
and  the  generosity  of  Roman  Catholics  is  still  encouraged  by 
impressing  upon  them,  that  their  contributions  will  not  only 
a«sist  the  spread  of  the  Romish  Religion,  but  check  the  progress 
of  the  Protestant  political  influences  of  Great  Britain,  and  the 
United  States  of  North  America.  The  account  of  the  French 
Roman  Catholic  Missions  to  Oceania  lately  published  is  one 
long  tirade  against  British  Protestants,  and  appeals  to  French 
Naval  officers  to  help  them  with  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh.  As  soon 
as  the  Priests  got  a  footing  in  Wallis  Island,  they  persuaded 
some  of  the  Chiefs  to  place  themselves  under  the  protection  .of 
France,  and  urged  them  to  exclude  British  heretics  (see  Part 
III.  Essay  III.). 

XVIII.  There  is  another  practice,  which  Missionary  Societies 
should  not  tolerate.  I  have  seen  notices  of  its  existence  in 
Missions  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  I  allude  to  the  purchase 
of  Negro  Boys  and  Girls  by  Missionaries  in  Africa  for  the  best 
and  holiest  purposes,  and  yet  the  practice  has  in  it  the  germs 
of  much  evil.  As  long  as  there  is  a  demand  for  children,  the 
kidnappers  and  slave-dealers  will  find  it  w'orth  their  while  to 
continue  the  trade.  It  matters  not  to  them,  whether  the  little 
girl  is  to  find  her  way  into  the  Harem,  or  into  the  Mission-School; 
it  is  a  question  of  so  many  dollars  as  purchase-money :  it  is  not 
likely,  that  Parents  would  sell  their  own  children,  or  tribesmen 
children  of  their  own  tribe.  The  children  must  be  stolen,  and 
then  sold.  The  Roman  Catholics  make  this  part  of  their  svstem, 
and  glory  in  it.  On  Lake  Tanganyika  the  Priests  had  purchased 
children  :    the  relatives  came  to  claim   them,    and    on   refusal 


(     13     ) 

killed  the  Priests,  and  it  served  them  right ;  they  call  it 
"  Redemption,"  but  it  is  really  "  Slave-purchasing,"  of  an 
insidious  character,  and  it  would  stain  the  character  of  a 
Protestant  Mission,  that  .such  a  practice  could  be  allowed. 
Redemption  is  a  term  properly  applied  to  the  recovery  of  a  wife, 
a  child,  or  a  tribesman,  who  had  been  kidnapped,  but  not  to  the 
deliberate  purchase  by  strangers  of  slaves,  who  had  been  kid- 
napped for  the  purpose  of  being  sold.  The  Missionary  Societies 
should  never  tolerate  the  Use  of  Slave-labour  by  their  agents, 
European  or  Native,  as  is  the  unique  practice  of  the  Missionaries 
in  Madagascar  (see  Part  II.  Essay  II.). 

XIX.  The  next  point  to  be  noticed,  as  regards  Missionary 
Societies,  is  the  organization  of  the  Governing  Body.  A  large, 
influential  and  able  Committee  of  Management  is  decidedly  the 
best  machinery,  as  it  never  dies,  and  is  composed  of  such  a 
diversity  of  experiences  and  talents,  as  leads  to  good  govern- 
ment. If  there  exist  in  any  community  men  of  wealth,  and 
capacity,  able  and  willing  to  be  the  unpaid  .Secretaries  and 
mouthpieces  of  the  Committee,  nothing  better  can  be  imagined. 
It  is  a  noble  use  of  means  and  talents.  As  so  much  Secular  work 
is  done  gratuitously,  Spiritual  work  should  find  men  ready  to 
give  gratuitous  service.  But  oftentimes  the  material  for  an 
efficient  Committee  is  wanting,  and  still  oftener  is  it  necessary 
to  secure  the  services  of  efficient  Secretaries  by  providing  a 
Salary.  Two  courses  are  then  open  to  the  Constituency,  which 
furnishes  the  funds.  They  can  entrust  the  executive  power  of 
the  Mission  to  able,  high-minded,  and  pious  men,  and  constitute 
them  "  Paid  Directors,"  responsible  only  to  the  Constituency, 
or  they  can  appoint  the  same  type  of  men  to  be  "  Paid 
Secretaries,"  to  carry  out  the  decision  of  the  governing  Com- 
mittee. Both  these  methods  have  their  peculiar  advantages,  and 
counterbalancing  disadvantages.  Under  a  Directorship  there  is 
a  more  defined  policy,  a  more  efficient  control,  a  great  economy 
of  time  ;  but  death  and  decay  of  faculties,  and  the  human 
infirmities  of  overbearingness  and  egoism,  have  to  be  reckoned 
upon.  A  Committee,  on  the  other  hand,  never  dies,  and  there  is 
no  room  for  the  two  faults  above  quoted  in  a  free  republic, 
where  all  are  equal :  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  waste  of  time  in 
profitless  discussion,  vacillation  of  purpose,  laxity  of  control,  and 
sometimes  the  Secretaries  attempt,  and  succeed  in  their  attempt, 
to  wield  the  power  of  the  Director,  without  the  responsibility, 
and  this  has  none  of  the  advantages,  and  all  the  demerits,  of 
both  systems.  A  large  discretion  of  disposing  business  of  a 
purely  formal  kind  should  be  left  to  the  Secretary  in  charge  of 
a  particular  branch  of  business,  reporting  the  same  at  the  next 
Committee,  but  not  to  the  Secretaries  collectively,  who  cannot 
be  recognized  as  a  Cabinet  of  Secretaries  of  State.     Let  me  say 


(     14     ) 

a  word  of  commendation  of  IMissionary  Society-Committees.  I 
have  been  for  more  tlian  forty  years  a  witness,  and  a  studier,  of 
the  conduct  of  human  affairs,  but  I  never  realized  such  purity 
of  motive,  such  simplicity  of  conduct,  and  on  the  whole  such 
practical  wisdom,  as  is  found  in  such  a  body.  There  is  always 
a  feeling  of  tenderness,  almost  too  sentimental,  on  the  part  of  a 
Committee  towards  their  Missionaries  :  on  the  other  hand,  the 
wild  complaints,  and  often  unreasonable  requests,  of  the  Mis- 
sionary, which  would  distress  a  Director,  roll  up  like  the  waves 
of  the  Atlantic  against  the  impersonal  Committee,  and  go  off  in 
noise.  The  Missionary  would  no  doubt  prefer  leaving  the 
direction  of  his  affairs  in  the  hands  of  a  Committee  rather  than 
be  at  the  mercy  of  a  Director.  Committees  ought  to  consist 
both  of  ordained  and  lay  members,  and  their  duties  should  be 
divided  :  the  control  of  the  finance  should  be  left  exclusively  to 
the  lay  members,  while  the  selection  of  candidates  for  employ- 
ment should  be  reserved  to  the  ordained  members.  Neither 
members  of  Committee,  nor  Secretary,  should  take  to  heart 
the  fact,  that  their  proposal  is  not  accepted  by  a  majority. 
Their  doing  so  indicates  great  arrogance,  or  weakness  of 
character:  the  very  object  of  a  Committee  is  to  get  the  opinion 
of  many,  not  of  one.  It  is  not  just,  that  the  entire  control 
of  a  great  National  Society  should  be  vested  in  the  residents 
of  the  Capital  city.  The  members  of  the  Society,  resident 
in  the  country,  should  be  represented  by  delegates,  elected 
periodically,  for  certain  areas,  or  jurisdictions :  it  is  better 
to  have  the  objections  of  our  friends  before  a  decision 
is  arrived  at,  than  their  remonstrances  after  the  decision. 
The  Members  of  the  Committee  receive  no  fee  or  profit, 
but  they  bring  home  to  themselves  an  exceeding  great 
reward  :  they  never  enter  the  Committee-Room  without  the 
feeling  of  gratitude,  that  they  are  allowed  to  serve  .their  Master 
in  this  way,  and  they  never  leave  it  also  without  a  feeling  of 
renewed  blessing:  by  attending  there  they  make  sweet  friend- 
ships, profitable  to  their  souls :  the  work  becom.es  the  joy  of 
their  lives.  Within  the  four  walls  they  feel,  that  the  Divine 
Presence,  invoked  by  Prayer,  calms,  consoles,  and  sanctifies, 
their  spirits :  it  is  well  for  them  to  be  there :  the  Banker, 
Lawyer,  and  Merchant,  in  full  business,  for  the  time  forgets  the 
duties  of  his  life,  and  rises  to  a  higher  life.  Retired  Soldiers, 
and  Statesmen,  are  gladdened  in  their  hearts  to  think,  that  in 
return  for  the  preservation  of  their  lives  in  perils  and  sickness, 
they  can  still  do  something  for  their  Lord,  who  has  led  them 
marvellously  from  youth  to  old  age,  and  even  to  the  verge  of 
the  grave :  on  the  walls  of  the  Committee-Room  hang  the 
portraits  of  those,  who  have  gone  before ;  and  each  of  them, 
while   fearlessly  expressing   his  opinion,  and  doing   his  duty, 


(     15     ) 

cheerfully  looks  forward  to  the  time,  when  the  chairs  will  be 
occupied  by  a  younger  generation,  differing  perhaps  in  some 
things,  but  resembling  their  predecessors  in  their  love  for 
their  Work,  and  their  Saviour,  whose  message  they  have 
striven  to  convey  to  a  dying  world. 

XX.  Still  more  difhcult  is  the  relationship  of  the  Parent- 
Committee  to  the  Local  Conference,  Committee,  or  Council, 
and  those  who  compose  it.  In  some  Missionary  Societies 
the  Parent-Committee  exercises  a  despotic,  and  often  in- 
judicious, rule  :  on  the  other  hand,  I  have  met  Missionaries  in 
the  Field,  who  stated  that  they  allowed  the  Parent-Committee 
no  power  of  interference.  Their  duty,  according  to  my  in- 
formant, was  to  supply  Money  and  Men,  and  leave  everything 
else  to  those,  who,  being  out  in  the  Field,  knew  best.  Thus,  in 
some  cases  the  Bishop  in  his  Diocese,  the  Presbytery,  or  the 
Mission-Conference,  settle  everything,  and,  if  attempts  were 
made  to  draw  the  reins  tight,  would  break  away  into  separate 
organizations.  No  doubt  there  is  the  greatest  safety  in  the 
middle  course :  those,  who  hold  the  Purse-strings,  sooner  or 
later,  must  have  the  control.  But  a  wise  policy  suggests  great 
liberty  to  the  local  bodies  within  certain  rules.  The  necessity 
of  preparing  an  annual  budget  of  expenditure  will  always 
remind  the  Local  Committee  of  their  helplessness  in  a  death- 
struggle,  unless  they  have  a  strong  home  party  behind  them.  I 
cannot  think  it  wise  in  the  Parent-Committee  to  depute  a 
Secretary,  or  Inspector,  to  visit  the  Missions.  It  creates  often 
a  bad  feeling.  If  particular  information  of  affairs  in  any  Field 
is  required,  it  is  better  to  send  for  one  of  the  brethren, 
as  a  delegate  from  the  Local  Committee.  For  some  critical 
emergency  it  may  be  necessary,  and  justifiable,  but  not  other- 
wise. The  Missionaries  are  able  and  honourable  men,  and 
require  no  such  Inspection,  or  Visitation,  from  one,  who  has  no 
local  experience.  In  secular  matters,  for  instance  the  Civil 
Government  of  British  India,  the  high  officials,  who  manage  the 
Districts,  or  Provinces,  would  not  tolerate  the  personal  Inspec- 
tion of  their  work  by  a  Secretary  from  the  India  Office,  or  even 
from  the  Viceroy.  The  Committee,  as  representatives  of  the 
Society,  should  appoint  and  remove  its  own  Missionaries, 
at  its  own  will  and  pleasure  :  it  should  keep  its  Missionaries 
under  control,  a  sympathetic,  indulgent,  loving  control  :  it 
should  allow  of  no  interference  either  from  the  Bishops  in 
the  Provinces,  or  the  Mission-Board  at  home  (see  Part  III. 
Essay  II.).  The  Parent-Committee  should  strive  to  maintain 
towards  their  Agents,  ordained  or  lay,  male,  or  female,  the 
closest,  tenderest,  and  most  sympathetic  relations,  being  as  a 
Parent  to  them  ;  placing  the  most  favourable  construction  upon 
all,  that  they  do  ;  sustaining  them,  when  cast  down  and  afflicted. 


(     i6     ) 

yet  not  afraid  to  admonish  and  censure,  when  the  case  requires. 
The  Parent-Committee  should  be  determined  to  have  its  orders 
obeyed  not  for  their  own  self-will's  sake,  hut  for  the  Lord's  work 
committed  to  their  charge.  If  each  Missionary,  or  cluster  of  INIission- 
aries,  is  to  have  his  own  way  on  great  principles,  let  the  Parent- 
Committee  be  dissolved,  and  a  Banker  appointed  to  send  out 
the  money  to  the  Field:  there  is  no  middle  course.  A  deceased 
Bishop,  of  High  Church  views,  and  a  loving,  wise,  and  expe- 
rienced, man,  has  left  us  in  his  Life  the  following  remarks: 

Above  all  let  us  have  sympathy,  and  let  the  Missionary  feel,  that  he  is  treated 
as  an  equal  by  the  Committee,  and  the  Secretaries  :  let  us  copy  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  its  personal  devoutness,  and  spiritual  synipatliy. 

I  thank  you,  dear  Bishop,  for  those  words !  They  strike  the 
true  note.  The  Missionary  is  more  than  the  equal  of  the  Parent- 
Committee  ;  he  is  the  joy,  the  pride,  the  hope,  and  the  consolation, 
of  those,  who  send  him  out.  who  indeed  are  abashed,  when  they 
read  of  human  and  moral  failures,  and  filled  with  holy  joy,  when 
they  read  of  Divine  blessings,  whether  evidenced  in  outward 
success,  or  holy  deaths,  and  trials  suffered  patiently.  When 
Cardinal  Lavigerie  sends  out  his  Missionaries  to  Africa,  they  are 
assembled  for  valediction  in  his  Cathedral,  and  the  Cardinal,  and 
the  Bishops,  and  all  the  Clergy,  old  and  young,  kneel  down,  and 
kiss  the  feet  of  the  young  Missionary,  symbolizing  the  Scripture- 
text: 

How  beautiful  are  the  feet  of  them,  that  preach  the  Gospel  of  peace,  and 
bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things  ! 

Protestant  Committees  indulge  in  no  such  extravagances,  but 
their  spirit  is  correctly  represented  by  such  outward  symbols. 
Be  it  recollected,  that  the  Lay  Committee,  though  not  clothed 
in  ecclesiastical  costume,  consists  of  Spiritual  men  in  the 
highest  sense  :  the  manner  of  conducting  business  makes  such 
a  powerful  impression  on  the  heart,  that  the  same  man,  when  he 
takes  his  place  on  the  Council  of  a  Scientific  Society,  the  Bench 
of  Magistrates,  the  Board  of  Guardians  of  the  Poor,  or  the  Com- 
mittee of  the  Hospital,  feels  that  somiCthing  is  wanting,  when 
business  is  commenced  without  prayer  for  guidance :  for  he 
wishes  to  be  taught  of  the  Spirit  in  all  things,  and  in  every 
relation  of  life,  and  his  heart  goes  up  to  God  for  help  and  direc- 
tion. Such  is  the  lesson,  which  he  has  acquired,  and  made  his 
own,  after  contact  with  holy  men  in  the  Lay  Committee-Room 
of  a  Missionary  Society. 

.  XXL  Let  me  now  notice  the  relation  of  one  IMissionary 
Society  to  another  of  the  same  or  different  Denominations. 
The  non-Christian  world  is,  and  will  long  remain,  large  enough 
for  the  efforts  of  all  the  Churches :  but  by  the  Comity  of 
Protestant  Missions,  except  in  the  case  of  exceedingly  large 
cities,  which  are  worlds  in  themselves,  intrusion  into  the  Field, 


(     17    ) 

occupied  by  another  Society,  is  condemned,  and  should  be 
avoided.  It  is  true,  that  the  ordained  and  superior  agents  of  all 
Denominations  would  meet  in  entire  harmony,  but  the  Native 
agents,  the  congregations,  and  the  adherents,  would  find  ground 
for  rivalrv,  detraction,  and  animosity.  Seceders,  or  parties 
expelled  from  one  fold,  would  try  to  be  admitted  into  the  other, 
and  thus  bad  feelings,  and  grievances,  real  or  imaginary,  would 
be  generated.  It  is  wrong  in  the  members  of  one  denomination 
saying  in  an  off-hand  way,  that  the  World  is  their  Parish.  It  is 
neither  wise,  nor  courteous,  nor  Christian-like,  nor  conducive  to 
the  success  of  the  Work,  to  intrude  into  the  Mission-Field 
of  a  Sister-Society.  A  Missionary  should  be  very  careful  in 
admitting  into  his  flock  seceders  from  the  flock  of  another 
denomination,  and  still  more  careful  in  employing  Native 
agents,  who  have  been  discharged  from,  or  have  closed  their 
connection  with  other  bodies.  When  a  native  has  been 
ordained,  as  a  Minister,  in  one  denomination,  it  appears 
extremely  undesirable  to  confer  orders  upon  him  in  another, 
without  the  fullest  knowledge,  and,  if  possible,  consent  of  his 
previous  friends.  A  Mission-Field  should  be  compact,  and  the 
Stations  should  support  each  other.  The  Committee  should  not 
allow  their  Agents  in  the  Field  to  settle  this  matter:  it  is  one 
of  high  policy.  The  front  and  the  flanks  should  not  be  un- 
reasonably, or  dangerously,  extended  in  deference  to  caprice, 
or  false  sentiment.  Supervision  is  of  the  utmost  importance, 
mutual  support,  and  friendly  intercourse. 

XXII.  It  is  very  injudicious  of  a  new  Society  to  crowd  into  a 
Region  like  Japan,  already  fully  occupied  by  other  Societies,  just 
for  the  sake  of  the  honour  and  glory  of  having  a  man,  or  a  small 
Mission,  in  a  great  Field.  It  would  be  well,  if,  in  a  town  with  a 
population  under  15,000,  only  one  denomination  should  settle  ; 
but  such  occupation  should  be  bojid  fide,  not  that  of  a  dog  in  the 
manger.  If  ^Missionary  Societies  really  care  for  the  non-Christian 
world,  they  will  sink  their  own  home-difi^erences  as  out  of  place 
in  the  presence  of  Paganism  and  Mahotnetanism.  There  is  reason 
to  anticipate  the  entire  disappearance  of  denominationalism  in 
Native  Churches,  as  each  National  Church  has  the  prescriptive 
right  to  choose  its  own  form.  It  would  be  amusing,  were  the 
matter  not  so  serious,  to  read  the  strictures  of  one  denomination 
on  the  practice  of  the  other  :  their  remarks  are  no  doubt  meant 
for  an  inner  circle  of  narrow-minded  friends,  who  see  no  path  of 
Salvation  save  their  own,  but  being  in  print,  they  are  read  with 
a  sigh,  or  a  smile,  by  all. 

XXIII.  Civilization  is  the  incidental,  not  the  primary,  object  of 
a  Mission.  It  is  wrong  to  expect,  that  civilization  must  precede 
evangelization :  it  may  accompany  it.  Christianity  can  adapt 
itself  to  every  phase,  and  epoch,  of  Human  Culture.    Civilization 


(     i8     ) 

may  possibly  choke  the  good  seed,  and  retard  Gospel-teaching. 
The  ^lissionary  should  place  before  his  eyes  as  the  model,  which 
he  aims  at,  not  the  British,  or  New  England,  village,  with  all  its 
surroundings  of  European  culture,  but  the  villages  of  Palestine, 
such  as  they  were,  when  our  Lord  passed  through  them. 
Nothing  is  so  bad  as  to  turn  a  Negro  into  a  Pseudo-Englishman. 
What  has  a  particular  stage  of  Human  Culture  to  do  with  the 
Everlasting  Gospel  } 

XXIV.  It  is  very  undesirable,  that  a  Missionary  Society,  which 
collects  its  funds  to  convert  the  non-Christian  world,  should 
allow  its  agents  to  waste  their  time  in  proselyting  the  members 
of  the  Oriental  Churches,  on  the  ground,  that  their  form  of 
Christianity  is  dead  or  imperfect.  It  is  sufficient,  that  members 
of  those  Churches  should  be  permitted  to  attend  the  Schools, 
and  Churches,  of  the  IMission,  if  they  are  so  inclined,  but  no 
effort  should  be  made  to  entice  them,  retain  them,  or,  with  rare 
exceptions,  to  employ  them.  The  appearance  of  a  renegade 
Priest  from  his  own  Church  is  not  calculated  to  advance  the 
character  of  the  Protestant  Mission,  and  it  is  probable,  that  a 
man,  who  had  been  false  to  one  Church,  would  be  false  to 
another  :  the  eternal  law  of  doing  unto  others,  as  you  would  wish 
men  to  do  unto  you,  should  govern  the  action  of  Missionaries,  as 
well  as  ordinary  men.  Loud  would  be  the  complaints,  if  the 
Roman  Catholics  decoyed  away  a  promising  Protestant  IMinister, 
and  turned  him  into  a  Priest. 

XXV.  As  the  Roman  Catholic  organs  have  openly  announced 
the  policy  of  arming  African  converts,  to  resist  their  lawful 
Sovereigns,  and  everybody  else,  whom  they  choose  to  oppose, 
it  is  as  well  to  state,  that  such  a  line  of  conduct  is  totally  opposed 
to  the  principles,  upon  which  Protestant  Missions  are  conducted, 
and  must  end  in  grievous  trouble  (see  Part  III.  Essay  V.). 

XXVI.  It  is  exceedingly  unadvisable  on  the  part  of  a  INIission- 
ary  Society  to  make  a  permanent  endowment  to  a  College,  or 
Bishop,  unless  the  entire  control  of  the  former,  and  the  selection 
of  the  latter,  is  reserved  to  the  Committee  :  and  even  then  it 
had  better  be  avoided. 

XXVII.  Beware  of  setting  up  your  own  Society  in  the  place 
of  Christ,  and  doing  worship,  and  sacrifice,  to  your  own  net,  and 
bringing  incense  to  your  own  drag:  if  the  Lord's  work  is  accom- 
plished, what  matter  by  whom  it  is  done  !  If  the  Lord's  work 
can  only  be  accomplished  by  the  death  of  a  Missionary,  and 
the  destruction  of  a  Society,  be  it  so  :  it  was  a  means  to  an  end  : 
let  that  end  be  accomplished  ! 

XXVIII.  It  is  a  low  taste  to  exhibit  the  idols  of  the  Pagan, 
and  the  Statues  of  Buddha,  to  the  scoffings  of  uneducated  men, 
and  the  laughter  of  children :  we  do  not  so  treat  the  remains  of 
the  beautiful  ideals  of  Greek  and  Roman  worship :  but  both  the 


(     19     ) 

one  and  other  teach  us,  how  man  in  his  unconverted  state  feels 
after  God,  and  of  the  danger  of  committing  spiritual  beliefs  to 
material  forms.  When  a  new  irruption  of  Goths  destroys  London, 
.and  St.  Piiul's,  the  Reredos  will  be  destroyed,  but  the  Gospel 
Truth  will  survive  all  earthly  changes  (see  Part  III.  Essay  VI.). 

XXIX.  The  income  of  the  Society  should  be  jealously  guarded 
against 

1.  Undue  tenderness  to,  favourites. 

2.  Waste. 

3.  Muddling. 

4.  The,  evils  of  delay  in  rendition  of  accounts. 

It  is  no  derogation  to  a  good  minister  of  Spiritual  things  to 
be  a  good  steward  of  things  necessary  for  maintenance  of  life, 
efficiency,  and  good  order.  It  is  shocking  to  read  of  defalcations 
of  money  on  the  death  of  the  Secretary  of  a  Religious  Society. 
Professional  auditors  should  always  be  employed,  not  three  old 
gentlemen  without  experience.  The  Committee  should  retain 
unfettered  control  of  every  shilling  in  its  coffer's,  and  not  allow 
its  supporters  to  force  its  hands  by  conditional  contributions : 
it  may  accept  distinct  Trusts  for  approved  purposes.  Every 
shilling  collected  by  its  agents,  whether  at  Home,  or  in  the  Field, 
should  be  brought  to  book,  and  spent  with  due  economy. 

XXX.  When  the  Lord  assigns  to  a  Society  a  certain  income, 
it  is  because,  that  it  is  all,  that  He  deems,  that  the  Society  can 
properly  spend.  He  speaks  by  years  of  Drought,  as  well  as  years 
of  Plenty,  by  Seasons  of  Abundance,  as  well  as  by  Seasons  of 
Retrenchment.  Both  are  blessings  in  disguise.  He  is  often 
quoted  as  sending  "  open  doors,"  but,  unless  He  sends  the 
means  also,  the  message  is  not  clear,  and,  when  he  sends  "a 
closed  door,"  the  Committee  should  accept  it,  without  appealing 
to  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh  (see  Part  III.  Essay  V.).  He  sent 
ravens  to  Elijah,  but  He  also  filled  their  beaks  with  food  to  feed 
the  Prophet.  The  cruze  of  oil  did  not  fail,  but  the  supply  was 
limited  to  the  legitimate  expenditure  of  the  widow,  not  to 
encourage  her  to  increased  outlay  beyond  her  actual  wants.  He 
expects  us  to  serve  Him  to  the  utmost  of  our  Talents,  whatever 
He  may  have  lent  to  us,  but  7ioi  beyond  our  Talents.  It  is 
unwisdom,  as  well  as  a  want  of  appreciation  of  the  teaching 
of  events,  to  be  sending  out  repeated  special  appeals  for  funds, 
and  calling  for  fresh  supplies,  instead  of  making  the  most 
economical  possible  use  of  funds  already  supplied.  Sums 
collected  in  pennies  are  often  heedlessly  wasted.  Those,  who 
support  Missions,  have  a  right  to  insist  upon  the  most  rigid 
economy.  It  is  not,  because  a  Society  is  large  and  rich,  that  it 
should  waste  its  resources, 

XXXI.  The  Publications  of  Missionary  Societies  are  conducted 
"on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic  with   remarkable  ability.      They 


(      20      ) 

consist  no  longer  of  goodie-goodie  stories,  or  dry  facts,  but 
kaleidoscopic  pictures  of  the  manners,  and  customs,  the  material, 
and  Spiritual,  thoughts  of  all  the  non-Christian  Nations  in  the 
world.  Such  a  disclosure  of  the  mysteries  of  Human  Life  was 
never  made  before;  but  these  Publications  should  be  made  self- 
supporting,  and  could  be  made  so.  The  narrow-mindedness  of 
the  different  Sections  of  the  religious  world  should  be  corrected 
by  each  Society  devoting  two  pages  of  every  issue  to  Notes  of 
the  Wide  Field,  as  well  as  their  own  Little  Vineyard.  Many 
good  souls  believe,  that  their  petty  denomination  is  the  only  one, 
that  has  Missions  at  all,  for,  as  they  naively  remark,  they  never 
heard  of  any  other;  but  God  is  glorified  by  the  work  of  all  His 
children,  and  more  especially  the  Missionaries  of  each  denomina- 
tion should  be  informed  up  to  date  of  the  work  of  their  dear 
brethren  scattered  over  the  world.  What  a  poor  conception 
they  must  have  of  the  Communion  of  the  Saints,  when  they 
shut  their  eyes  to  every  ray  of  light,  but  the  one,  which  comes 
through  their  particular  lens  ! 

XXXH.  Great  restraint  should  be  maintained  on  the  Platform, 
and  in  the  Pulpit,  not  only  not  to  say  what  is  not  true,  but  to 
abstain  from  uttering  sheer  nonsense.  There  may  be  said  to 
be  three  objects : 

1.  To  stimulate. 

2.  To  inform. 

3.  To  take  counsel. 

But  in  no  possible  case  to  talk  twaddle,  repeat  common-place 
expressions,  or  air  Quixotic  notions.  And  how  culpable  are 
those,  who  encourage  their  relations,  or  friends  in  a  country 
town,  to  pass  frothy  resolutions  calling  for  expeditions,  and 
annexations,  and  Protectorates,  and  "Jingo"  generally!  Is  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  to  be  preached  by  such  methods  }  We  are  a 
great,  strong,  self-asserting,  arrogant  Nation  ;  let  us  restrict  those 
national  qualities  to  our  Commercial  and  Political  transactions, 
and  conduct  our  Mission-work,  as  simple  Christians :  we  can 
expect  no  blessings  on  Gospel-teaching,  when  in  close  contact 
with  Calico-bales,  and  Rifles,  not  to  say  tons  of  Liquor,  cases  of 
firearms,  and  barrels  of  gunpowder. 

XXXHL  Too  much  time  and  money  should  not  be  wasted  in 
sensational  gatherings  under  domes  of  Cathedrals,  or  in  great 
Assembly-Halls,  listening  to  Visions,  and  Rhetorical  figures,  of 
excited  Preachers,  or  still  more  excited  Platform-orators.  Such 
vain  demonstrations  will  soon  develope  into  processions,  and 
other  eccentricities,  for  the  passion,  or  rage,  is  advancing  year  by 
year.  The  work  of  conducting  Missions  is  a  very  serious  one, 
and  the  words  "  Ora  et  labora"  seem  to  cover  the  whole  ground  : 
this  was  the  method,  adopted  by  the  founders  of  our  great  Societies: 
it  is  not,  that  they  had  less  piety,  or  love  for  prayer,  but  they 


(       21       ) 

wore  it  less  on  their  sleeve :  it  was  well  said  by  an  old  friend  of 
Missions,  that : 

If  the  walls  of  some  Committee-Rooms  could  speak,  they  would  tell,  how 
discussions  were  often  stopped,  while  the  Committee  knelt  down  and  prayed  over 
difaculties  that  were  perplexinsj;  them.  All  their  deliberations  were  conducted 
in  a  spirit  of  weighty  and  dependent  prayer. 

This  spreading  out  the  letter  full  of  anxiety  before  the  Lord,  and 
praying  over  it  in  the  room,  where  His  work  was  being  carried 
on,  was  something  very  d>ififerent  from  the  issue  of  thousands  of 
tickets,  and  the  setting  in  motion  of  hundreds  of  vehicles,  and 
the  bringing  together  crowds  of  women  and  men,  who  would 
have  been  more  profitably  employed  working  in  their  own  homes, 
or  worshipping  in  their  own  Churches. 

XXXIV.  Let  me  add  one  more  solemn  warning.  I  have  been 
employed  from  my  youth  in  affairs  of  State,  annexations,  con- 
quests, war,  and  administration.  I  know  what  it  is  :  the  untravelled 
gentleman  of  the  Committee-Room,  and  the  City-Minister, 
do  not.  Let  no  sane  man  be  anxious  for  Spheres  of  British 
or  German  Influence,  for  British  or  German  Protectorates,  for 
British  or  German  Annexations  (see  Part  III.  Essay  V.).  Let 
them  reflect  upon  the  amount  of  liquor  imported  under  these 
precious  arrangements :  let  them  read  what  happened  to  the 
tribes  of  the  Kameruns,  a  short  time  after  their  annexation  to 
German  Rule,  and  the  expulsion  of  the  British  Baptists:  the 
bombardment  of  Native  villages,  the  burning  down  of  Native 
houses,  and  killing  of  Native  women  and  children.  Let  them 
think,  how  much  the  Barmese  must  value  the  blessings  of 
British  Annexation,  when  I  read  in  the  Times  of  July  30, 
1888,  the  following  proclamation  : 

The  Chief  Commissioner  concluded  by  threatening  severe  consequences  to  all, 
who  persisted  in  disloyal  and  disorderly  courses,  saying :  You  will  be  hung 
or  sent  to  prison  across  the  seas,  your  land  and  your  property  will  be  seized 
and  given  to  others,  and  your  wives  and  children  will  have  to  beg  their 
bread.  This  is  your  last  opportunity  of  saving  yourselves.  Turn  now,  and 
give  assistance  to  the  Government. 

The  Karen  tribes  are  alluded  to  as  being  in  rebellion  against 
the  unwarrantable  invasion  by  European  strangers  of  their 
country.  Do  these  surroundings  promise  a  happy  field  for  the 
work  of  the  quiet  Missionary  .^  Would  Adoniram  Judson  have 
done  what  he  and  his  colleagues  did  in  times  past  in  such 
environments  } 


APPENDIX.     Paragraph  XVII. 

Cher  et  tres  Reverend  Monsieur, — Ily  alongtemps  queje  m'occupe, 
et  m'interesse  a  la  lecture  de  votre  bon  hebdomadaire  les  Missions  CathoUques, 
et  je  suis  profondement  touche  de  la  liberalite  de  vos  croyants,  de  la  grandeur 
de  vos  recits,  et  du  devoument  des  apotres  de  I'Eglise  Romaine.  Je  desire  vous 


(       22       ) 

amener  a  une  sainte  rivalite  par  rapport  aux  contributions  Anglaises  au  service 
des  Missions.  C'est  dans  le  mois  de  Mai  que  nous  tenons  nos  reunions  chaque 
annee,  et  que  nous  publions  nos  rapports  annuels.  L'Angleterre  donne  non- 
seulement  de  I'argent,  qui  ne  compte  pour  rien  aux  yeux  de  Dieu,  mais  elle 
donne  des  ames  devouees,  des  intelligences  superieures,  et  imprime  une  vigueur 
pratique  a  la  grande  oeuvre.  Elle  croit  que  le  bon  Dieu  n'a  pas  donne  a  la  race 
Anglo- Saxonne  une  extension  si  prodigieuse  sur  la-  terre,  seulement  pour  le 
commerce,  la  colonisation,  ou  la  gloire  mondaine,  mais  pour  qu'elle  soit 
I'ambassadrice  speciale  de  Uieu,  aux  Paiens  et  aux  Mahometans.  Permettez 
moi  avec  toute  humilite  de  corriger  une  espece  de  malentendu,  qui  quelquefois 
me  frappe  dans  les  interessants  rapports  des  apotres  Fran^-ais.  I.  Les  gouverne- 
ments  Anglais,  et  Americains,  ne  se  melent  jamais  dans  I'ceuvre  de  la  propagation 
de  la  Foi,  et  vous  pouvez  etre  siir,  que  ni  gouverneur  de  province,  ni  ambas- 
sadeur,  ni  consul,  n'a  la  permission  de  lever  la  main,  ou  d'uuvrir  la  bouche, 
pour,  ou  contre,  une  denomination  chretienne,  quelle  qu'elle  soit.  II  existe 
dans  le  systeme  gouvernemental  des  deux  puissances  Anglo- Saxonnes  en  Europe, 
et  dans  I'Amerique  du  Nord,  un  principe,  c'est  que  la  liberte  religieuse  consiste 
non-seulement  a  donner  un  libre  cours  aux  predicateurs  de  toute  religion  dans 
chaque  pays,  mais  a  s'abstenir,  comme  Gallio  dans  le  temps  de  I'Apotre  Saint 
Paul,  de  se  meler  aux  affaires  des  Missionnaires,  soit  par  force,  par  intrigue,  ou 
par  influence  morale  ou  physique,  "Magna  est  Veritas  et  prjevalebit,"  mais  le 
temps,  la  maniere,  et  I'occasion  viennent  de  Dieu.  II.  Dans  les  Provinces 
sujettes  a  la  Couronne  de  la  Reine,  et  dans  les  colonies  du  peuple  Anglais,  il 
existe  une  impartialite  absolue  devant  la  loi,  et  une  tolerance  complete  devant 
Dieu  et  devant  les  hommes.  J'ai  occupe  dans  les  Indes  Orientales,  pendant 
vingt  cinq  ans,  un  poste  eleve,  et  je  suis  a  meme  d'affirmer  I'exactitude  de  mes 
paroles,  et  les  Missions  Catholiques  donnent  quelquefois,  comme  par  hazard,  des 
preuves  eclatantes  de  la  simple  et  male  loyaute  des  serviteurs  de  I'Etat.  Bien  que 
protestants  de  coeur,  nous  nous  rappelons,  que  notre  raison  d'etre  n'existe  que 
dans  une  tolerance  bienveillante,  et  sympathique  aux  Missionnaires  de  I'Eglise 
de  Rome.  Quoique  toutes  les  Congregations  Anglicaines  soient  nationales,  et 
que  dans  toutes  nos  operations  nous  ayons  un  isolement  insulaire,  qui  quelque- 
fois est  extravagant,  nos  efforts  a  evangeliser  la  terre  n'ont  aucun  rapport  avec 
notre  position  politique.  Les  Missionaires  fran^ais  dans  leurs  rapports  parlent 
toujours  de  la  France,  de  I'infiuence  Fran9aise  et  de  ses  droits  ;  on  dirait  que 
I'Eglise  de  Rome  est  I'heritage  direct  de  la  France,  ce  qui  n'est  pas,- car  I'Eglise 
de  Rome  est  universelle.  Dans  les  comjites-rendus  Anglais,  vous  ne  trouvez 
pas  de  telles  expressions,  parce  que  nous  savons,  que  le  Royaume  de  Jesus  n'est 
pas  de  ce  monde,  et  que  nousesperons  qu'apres  la  chute  de  I'Angleterre  I'Eglise 
Chretienne  restera  debout,  dans  les  endroits  ou  nous  I'avons  placee,  comme  un 
temoignage  de  ce  que  dans  une  epoque  de  materialisme  et  d'infidelite,  le  coeur 
de  I'Angleterre  fut  fixe  sur  la  religion.  Nous  croyons  dans  I'avenir,  ce  sera 
notre  plus  grande  gloire  d'avoir  repandu  la  verite  chretienne  par  toute  la  terre  et 
d'avoir  introduit  une  copie  de  la  Sainte  Ecriture  dans  le  dialecte  connu  de 
chaque  nation  civilisee,  et  de  chaque  tribu  barbare.  Je  veux  aussi,  Cher  Monsieur, 
vous  rappeler  qu'a  cette  epoque  un  certain  tribut  de  respect  est  du  au  Pouvoir 
Anglais,  qui  seul  en  Europe,  offre  a  tons  une  hospitalite  bienveillante,  une  yiro- 
tection  ilhmitee,  une  liberte  entiere  d'actions  et  de  paroles,  liberte,  quenul  autre 
des  grands  Pouvoirs  Europeens  ne  veut  conceder,  et  que  la  France  meme,  bien 
que  republicaine,  a  refusee  a  ses  propres  enfants.  Agreez,  je  vous  prie,  Cher 
Monsieur,  avec  tons  mes  respects,  I'expression  de  mon  sincere  devouement. — 
Robert  Cust,  64,  St.  George's  Square,  Londres,  15  Aoiit,  18S2. — A  Monsieur 
Le  Redacteur  des  Missions  Catholiques,  Lyon,  France. 


(     23     ) 


OBSERVATIONS    AND    REFLECTIONS    ON 
MISSIONARY    SOCIETIES. 

Chapter  II. — Missionaries  and  the  Field, 

I.  I  NOW  turn  from  the  subject  of  ^Missionary  Societies  to  that 
of  the  Missionaries  :  they  are  of  various  kinds. 

A.  Male. 

B.  Female. 
And  again     (i)  Ordained. 

(2)  Lay. 

(3)  Educational. 

(4)  Medical. 

(5)  Native. 

So  much  has  been  written  on  the  subject  of  the  Female  Mis- 
sionary, the  Educational  Missionary,  and  the  Medical  Missionary, 
that  I  have  nothing  to  add  or  bring  together :  their  status  has 
been  considered,  and,  except  so  far  as  my  remarks  apply  to 
all  Missionaries,  I  shall  not  notice  them.  There  remains  the 
Ordained,  and  Lay  Missionary,  and  the  Native. 

II.  My  first  suggestion  is,  that  over  every  Mission  some  kind 
of  Head-Pastor  is  absolutely  necessary :  the  time  has  passed  for 
placing  the  old  and  tried  agent  on  the  same  level  with  the 
inexperienced  youth  ;  the  gifted  man,  and  the  man  of  power, 
on  the  same  level  with  the  ordinary  hewer  of  wood.  All 
experience  shows,  that  in  each  Mission  there  must  be  some 
kind  of  organization,  some  defined  plan  of  operations,  a  certain 
grouping  in  centres,  and  detachment  at  outposts,  a  certain 
combination  of  different  qualifications,  a  certain  diversity  of 
ministrations,  and,  unless  there  is  a  ruling  spirit,  and  a  govern- 
ing wheel,  the  end  must  be,  and  in  reality  is,  loss  of  power,  or 
confusion.  The  leader  need  not  necessarily  be  the  oldest,  but 
the  ablest,  one  who  has  had  the  peculiar  Grace  of  Rule  conferred 
upon  him.  We  find  it  in  things  secular,  and,  we  know,  that  it 
has  not  been  wanting  in  things  religious. 


(      24      ) 

III.  I  confess,  that  I  feel  objections  to  some  unpaid  agents, 
those  free  lances,  who  do  just  what  they  like,  go  where  they  like, 
and  make  the  fact  of  their  warring  at  their  own  charges  an  excuse 
for  conducting  the  war  on  their  own  method,  and  flinging  it  up  at 
their  own  fancy.    I  would  insist  on  all  agents  being  on  the  same 
footing  as  regards  discipline  :  if  any  one  has  abundance,  he  can 
find  plenty  of  opportunity  of  advancing  the  Mission-work  by  his 
bounty,  but  he  must  not  arrogate  to  himself  a  status,  differing 
from  that  of  his  fellows,  because  he  has  a  few  hundreds  of  Pounds 
at  his  disposal.     In  some  Missionary  Societies  we  hear  of  the 
boast,  that  their  ag6nts  receive  no  sort  of  remuneration :  if  this 
implies,  that  they  war  at  their  own  charges,  the  objections  stated 
above  apply  to  the  system  :  but  generally  the  point  is  different. 
In   some  Missions  all  the    Missionaries  in  each  Station  dwell 
together,  as  in  a  College,  and  the  necessity  of  a  separate  estab- 
lishment for  each  does  not  arise :  allowances  are  made  for  their 
clothes,  if  wanted.     Now,  where  subsistence  money  is  provided, 
the  amount  is  calculated  on  the  necessity  of  a  bare  subsistence 
only,  and  such  decent  comforts,  as  will  preserve  the  INIissionary's 
health,  and  calm  of  mind.     It  is  difficult  to  see  the  difference. 
Besides,  the  real  question  is.  Has  the  man  the  Missionary  Spirit  } 
If  he  has,  it  matters  not,  how  he  is  maintained,  whether  by  a 
common,  or  a  separate,  fund.     If  he  has  no  private  resources, 
he  must  be  supported  in  some  way  or  other.     It  is  impossible  at 
this  period,  that  he  should  maintain  his  life  by  a  trade,  as  St. 
Paul  did,  though  he  did  not  enforce  this  practice  on  others. 
And,  if  the  Apostle  in  his  great  humility  did  indeed  lend  himself 
to  the  making  of  tents,  that  he  might  not  be   burdensome  to 
those,  who  entertained  him,  as  he  had  no  subsistence-allowance 
from  a  great  Society,  he  did  not  burnish  arms    to   please  the 
Roman  Praetor,  or  weave  garments  for  the  Corinthian  women. 
If  report  is  true,  some  Christian  Missionaries  have  condescended 
to  strange  forms  of  manual  labour,  and  been  flippantly  described, 
as  useful  artizans.     And  in  Mission-life  there  must  be  a  great 
scattering  of  the  Agents  :    perhaps  two  or  three  will  be  grouped 
together,  and  they  must  be  sustained,  and  it  seems  far  better, 
that  they  should  have  fixed  subsistence-allowances,  paid   from 
the  Common  Fund :  if  they  are  wealthy,  they  can  throw  their 
gifts  into  that  fund.     They  should  abstain  from  mixing  up  their 
personal  expenditure  with  the  accounts  of  the  Society,  and  should 
make  no  promiscuous  drawings  on  the  General  Fund. 

IV.  The  great  object  of  the  Society  should  be  to  secure  men 
of  the  same  social  status,  and  the  same  stamp  of  Education,  as 
the  Clergy  at  home.  The  profession  of  the  Missionary  is  the 
noblest  and  the  holiest,  the  most  courageous,  and  the  most 
blessed  :  but  by  becoming  INIissionaries  they  should  not  divest 
themselves  of  the  feelings  and  duties  of  their  class :  they  should 


(     25     ) 

not  allow  themselves  from  zeal  or  carelessness,  or  contempt  of 
worldly  wisdom,  to  do  what  honest  gentlemen  would  shun  to  do, 
e.g.  spend  money,  which  is  not  at  their  disposal  to  spend,  or 
upon  purposes,  to  which  the  money  is  not  allocated,   let  their 
accounts  get  into  confusion,  and   set  a  bad  example  to  their 
flock.    This  has  occurred.    A  good  steward  is  faithful  in  little 
things. 
.  V.  The  difficulty  of  mastering  the  language  is  always  to  be 
reckoned  with,  and  this,  in  fact,  fixes  the  Field  of  each  Mis- 
sionary for  life.     It  has  amused  me  to  hear'  from  a  Missionary 
confidentially,  that  the  language,  which  he  has  acquired,  is  the 
most  difficult  of  all  languages.      This  assertion  is  sometimes 
made   with   regard   to   the  great   literary   language  of  Arabic, 
sometimes  with  regard  to  the  multiform,  yet  highly  cultivated, 
Chinese,  and  sometimes  with  regard  to  the  wholly  illiterate  and 
uncultured  languages  of  Africa.     As  no  living  man  has  tried  to 
master  all  three,  the  degree  of  difficulty  may  be  hard  to  determine  ; 
but  it  may  be  laid  down,  that  in  one  year  with  ordinary  applica- 
tion any  language  can  be  acquired  :    and,  unless  it  be  acquired, 
the  Missionary  is  a  dumb  dog  :  the  idea  of  preaching  the  Gospel 
through  an  interpreter,  or  in   a  mongrel  Coast- Patois,  such  as 
the  low  class  of  traders  use,  is  revolting.    It  is  impossible  for  me 
to  acquiesce  in  the  practice  of  teaching  in  Schools,  and  Colleges 
in  any  other  than  the  Vernacular  of  the  Students.     The  policy 
of  throwing  upon  the  Students  the  burden  of  acquiring  a  new 
language,    which    the    Professors   avoid,    is    questionable.      I 
mistrust  those  Societies,  in  which  the  agents  are  not  compelled 
to  acquire  the  Vernaculars  ;    any  departure   from   this   absolute 
rule  is  not  to  the  permanent  advantage  of  the  Mission.     No 
Secular  Government  would  tolerate  any  breach  of  this  Rule  in 
its  servants,  if  it  cared  for  the  weal  of  the  people.     It  is  a  mere 
burlesque  of  a  Mission,  where  this  step  is  not  taken.     A  man  or 
woman  can  care  but  little  for  the  Souls  of  the  Heathen,  when  he 
will  not  trouble  himself  to  understand  their  words,  and  let  them 
understand  his.     All  Missionaries  go  out  young,  and  the  greater 
portion  have  that  Educational  training,  which  implies  the  study 
of  one    or   more    foreign    languages.      I    think    poorly    of  the 
man,  who  shirks  this  obvious  duty.     It  shows  a  want  of  self- 
consecration.     I  heard   the  other  day  a  Bishop,  who  did  not 
choose  to  acquire  the  Vernacular,   dilate   on  the  advantage  of 
speaking  through  an  Interpreter,  and  the  English  Clergy,  who 
went  out  on  a  winter's  tour  to  India,  talk  in  the  same  way  :  they 
were  satisfied,  but  how  about  the  people  ?     There  is  an  old 
story  of  a  fox,  which  had  lost  its  tail,   abusing  tails  generally, 
and  recommending  other  foxes  to  cut  theirs  off. 

VI,  The    Society   should   treat   its    INIissionaries,  as    a   wise 
Government  treats  its  soldiers  in  a  foreign  campaign,  and  some- 


(       26      ) 

thing  more.  In  these  days  of  heroic  Missions  care  should  be 
taken  to  alleviate  the  danger,  and  the  risk,  and  the  hardship, 
and  the  suffering,  by  every  human  appliance  of  Art  and  Science. 
Nothing  is  so  useless  as  a  sick  Missionary:  nothing  so  sad  as 
a  dead  one,  if  his  precious  life  could  have  been  preserved  by 
human  forethought.  It  is  false  economy,  it  is  wickedness,  not 
to  make  provision,  which  will  anticipate  sufferings.  '  There  is 
much  sense  in  Henry  Stanley's  remarks,  the  comments  on  which 
in  a  religious  periodical  I  quote  : 

We  trust  the  Committee  will  sjive  due  attention  to  the  suggestions  of  Mr. 
Stanley,  and  warn,  and  instruct  the  young  men  they  send  out  to  temper  zeal 
with  discretion,  and  to  work  prudently,  that  they  may  live  to  work  for  many 
years.  Missionaries  are  commissioned  to  evangelize  the  world,  and  to  do  tins 
they  must  live.  We  think  a  Missionary  in  his  grave  is  worth  more  than  Mr. 
Stanley  apparently  imagined  ;  but  he  is  unquestionably  worth  much  more  to 
the  world  alive  than  dead,  and,  therefore,  we  trust  that  all  possible  care  will  be 
taken  to  preserve  the  precious  lives  of  the  young  brethren. 

The  question  of  subsistence-allowances,  pensions,  provision 
for  children  and  widows,  should  be  approached  in  a  wise  and 
fatherly  spirit.  The  Missionary  agent  should  be  freed  from 
worldly  anxiety :  he  does  not  desire  profit,  or  savings,  like  a 
worldling,  but  he  must  be  made  to  feel,  that  those,  whom  he 
loves,  will  be  provided  for:  he  is  ready  to  undergo  peril  by  land 
and  by  sea,  to  suffer  hardship  like  a  good  soldier,  but  he  should 
not  be  cut  off  from  proper  sustenance  of  every  kind.  INIany 
have  sunk  under  rude  trials,  which  might  have  been  avoided,  or 
have  had  to  fly  for  their  lives.  The  Parent-Committee  is  to 
blame,  when  any  precaution  is  neglected.  Those,  who  take  out 
a  large  party  of  men,  women,  and  children,  into  a  foreign 
countiy  and  deadly  climate,  without  a  certain  provision  of 
money,  and  reasonable  comforts,  are  to  be  heavily  condemned. 
It  is  mere  waste  of  time  to  discuss  the  comparative  advantage  of 
the  Roman  Catholic,  and  Protestant,  systems,  and  to  answer  the 
sneers  on  the  great  expense  of  widows  and  children,  which  our 
system  obviates.  I  am  not  one,  who  does  not  admit  the  great 
devotion  of  the  Roman  Catholic  celibates,  both  male  and  female  ; 
and  the  great  simplicity  and  economy,  as  well  as  purity,  of  their 
lives.  The  answer  is  sufficient,  that  the  Protestant  Church  will 
not  allow  any  restriction  on  natural  liberty  not  based  on  Scripture. 
Still,  early  marriages  are  to  be  deprecated.  The  young  public 
servant  in  India  does  not  marry  directly  he  lands  in  the  country, 
and  yet  lives  a  holy  life :  he  waits  until  he  has  learnt  his  duty, 
and  mastered  the  language  by  living  among  the  people.  Why 
should  not  young  INIissionaries  exert  the  same  measure  of 
self-denial  }  An  engagement  to  marry,  made  before  even  the 
Missionary  is  accepted,  throws  a  doubt  upon  his  motives.  It 
shows  an  absence  of  self-consecration.  In  Africa  the  Missionary 
must  return  home  at  short  and  stated  periods,  as  the  best  chance 


(       27      ) 

of  preserving  his  life  :  in  India,  China,  and  other  places  this  is 
not  necessar}',  but  he  should  return  after  more  than  ten  years  : 
these  intervals  should  be  utilized  by  the  Missionary  to  perfect 
his  knowledge  on  particular  subjects.  Health  may  compel 
earlier  return,  but  the  health  of  a  Missionary's  wife  or  child 
should  never  be  allowed  to  be  a  reason  for  his  leaving  his  post. 
The  servants  of  the  State  habitually  send  home  their  wives  and 
children  under  suitable  escort,  and  widows  in  bad  health  are 
constantly  coming  home  :  "the  Committee  should  sternly  resist 
the  tendency  of  men  to  place  the  health  of  their  wives  above  their 
sacred  duties.  Our  Lord  and  St.  Paul  have  spoken  clearly  on 
this  subject.  That  a  Missionary  should  resign  his  high  office, 
because  his  wife  is  unable  to  go  back  with  him,  is  a  lamentable 
instance  of  the  decay  of  fibre  in  the  Missionaries  of  modern 
times.  How  many  Governors,  and  Generals,  go  out  alone  to 
serve  an  Earthly  Sovereign  ?  Is  the  Soldier  of  Christ  not  to 
endure  hardship  ? 

On  the  other  hand,  the  sending  out  of  young  women  to  Africa, 
merely  to  die,  is  a  cruelty,  which  cannot  be  too  severely 
condemned.  How  many  young  wives  lie  buried  in  Africa, 
valuable  lives  needlessly  thrown  away  I  The  African  Mission  is 
a  Campaign,  and  Soldiers  do  not  take  their  wives  on  a  Campaign. 
I  have  steadily,  but  fruitlessly,  resisted  this  weakness  for  many 
years,  and  have  seen  a  succession  of  young  wives  pass  from  the 
Committee-Room  into  African  graves.  The  really  offensive 
suggestion,  that  a  Missionary  in  Africa  must  be  married,  should 
not  be  entertained.  Those,  who  have  made  moral  lapses,  have 
all  been  widowers,  or  married  men.  We  must  look  this  matter 
firmly  in  the  face,  and  the  example  of  Missions  in  Africa,  where 
all  the  agents  are  single,  should  be  followed,  except  in  those 
stations,  where  a  Christian  community  requires  the  care  of  a 
Woman  Missionary.  I  have  letters  from  a  Missionary  in  the  Field, 
supporting  my  views,  and  stating  distinctly,  that,  until  a  Mission 
has  attained  a  certain  stage  of  advance,  the  presence  of  married 
women  is  a  decided  drawback  to  the  Lord's  work.  I  earnestly 
hope,  that  Committees  will  give  this  subject  careful  consideration. 

VII.  In  return  for  the  care  taken  of  him,  the  Missionary 
should  render  obedience,  not  the  slavish  obedience  of  the  Jesuit 
Priest,  but  the  ready,  and  self-forgetting  submission  of  the 
Christian  Soldier.  In  Secular  Matters,  when  an  order  is  received 
by  a  subordinate  officer,  he  can  temperately  remonstrate,  but 
if  the  order  is  confirmed,  he  renders  instant  and  complete 
obedience.  What  a  contrast  is  found  in  the  conduct  of  some 
self-willed  and  egotistic  individuals,  who  forget  the  cause  of 
their  work  in  Self,  who  forget  to  practise  the  precepts  of  the 
Gospel,  which  they  preach  I 

Vm.     Still    more    reprehensible    is   the    conduct   of    those 


(     28     ) 

Missionaries,  who  are  misguided  enough  to  rebel  against  those 
who  sent  them  out,  and  to  turn  the  resources,  which  were 
entrusted  to  them,  against  the  Parent-Committee.  Several 
cases  have  lately  occurred,  of  a  character,  which  a  Merchant,  a 
public  ofificial,  or  a  secular  servant,  could  never  have  done,  and 
which  nevertheless  a  Christian  ordained  Missionary  justifies 
himself  in  doing.  If  his  views  upon  some  theological  point 
undergo  a  change,  his  duty  is  clear,  to  resign  his  connection 
with  the  Society,  with  whose  principles  he  is  no  longer  in 
accord.  Instead  of  that,  I  have  known  cases,  where  the 
Missionary  threw  off  his  allegiance,  claimed  the  souls  of  the 
Converts  as  his  own  private  property,  and,  in  defiance  of  all 
honour,  all  Christian  duty,  attempted  to  found  a  rival  INIission, 
and  carry  on  a  work  in  antagonism  to  the  Parent-Committee, 
which  selected  him,  equipped  him,  supported  him,  and  to  whom 
he  promised  obedience.  In  the  case  of  a  tribe  of  considerable 
numbers,  and  a  low  state  of  culture,  bloodshed  might  be  the 
consequence.  These  are  no  imaginary  or  trifling  cases.  They 
have  occurred  in  Asia  and  America. 

IX.  It  goes,  as  it  were,  without  saying,  that  the  INIissionary 
should  profess,  and,  as  far  as  his  weak  human  nature  permits 
him,  act  up  to  the  very  highest  possible  standard  of  Morality  in 
everything  and  to  everybody.  The  lamentable  failures  of  the 
most  ordinary  and  vulgar  laws  of  Morality,  that  have  occurred 
lately,  is  appalling.  In  some  Missions  he  has  to  live  among 
people  of  a  very  low  culture:  he  has  to  address  men  and  women 
partially,  if  not  entirely,  naked,  and  yet  they  are  not  Savages : 
they  have  an  unwritten  Code  of  Morality,  though  an  imperfect 
one.  A  Missionary,  who  had  been  seven  years  among  the  races 
of  the  Kongo,  remarked  to  me,  that  he  had  never  met  a  Savage: 
they  were  capable  of  appreciating  the  exercise  of  the  great 
cardinal  virtues,  and  of  being  influenced  by  the  sincere,  unselfish, 
pure,  strong,  and  yet  gentle,  character  of  their  white  teacher.  It 
is  shocking  to  hear  and  read  of  the  tone  of  the  INIissionaries  as 
regards  their  native  brethren  in  some  Missions  in  Africa:  some 
of  them  seem  to  loathe  and  hate  the  Natives ;  and  yet  the  Son 
of  God  did  not  disdain  to  take  upon  Himself  the  form  of  a  servant 
for  the  purpose  of  saving  mankind:  how  then  can  the  INIissionary 
disdain  to  speak,  feel,  and  live,  as  the  people  of  the  country,  to 
whom  he  is  sent,  if  by  so  doing  he  can  save  them  }  Take  the 
extreme  case  of  the  distance  between  the  European  and  the 
Negro :  how  little,  how  absolutely  nothing  it  appears,  when 
contrasted  with  the  distance  betwixt  our  Lord  and  His  disciples  ! 
Love  can  never  be  generated,  if  such  intimacy  be  not  formed, 
if  there  is  evidenced  by  the  Missionary  the  most  unjustifiable 
Pride,  and  Caste,  and  Contempt.  Even  in  secular  matters  the 
value  of  a  Public  Ofiicer  amidst  a  subject  People  is  estimated  by 


(      29      ) 

'the  degree,  to  which  he  is  loved  and  respected  by  them,  and 
that  love  and  respect  is  only  purchased  by  Intimacy  and 
Sympathy. 

X.  Still  more  reprehensible  is  the  practice  of  the  Missionary 
insulting  the  religious  convictions  of  his  audience.  How 
different  is  the  tone  adopted  by  St.  Paul  in  his  address  on 
Mars'  Hill  at  Athens !  I  rejoice  to  say,  that  this  error  is 
diminishing,  and  in  some  Fields  it  never  existed.  Hear  the 
repentant  words  of  an  old  "Missionary,  a  true  servant  of  God  : 

It  was  inwardly  manifest  to  me,  that  for  some  time  past  I  have  attacked  the 
heathen  customs  and  superstitions  of  the  Wa-Nika  too  fiercely,  the  sight  of 
the  abominations  moving  m«  to  indignation,  and  a  feeling,  that  I  ought  to  preach 
more  the  love  of  the  Redeemer  for  his  sheep,  lost,  or  gone  astray  or  taken 
captive  by  Satan.  I  must  show  more  compassion,  and  my  words  must  be 
more  filled  with  pity.  It  is  not  the  gifts,  nor  the  works,  nor  the  words,  nor 
the  prayers,  that  convert,  but  the  Lord  Jesus  only. 

I  myself  forty  years  ago  heard  an  American  Missionary 
in  an  Indian  Bazaar  telling  his  audience,  that  their  God  was 
Cowdung :  he  meant  it  as  an  insult :  as  a  fact  they  saw  no 
offence  in  it,  as  the  Cow,  and  all  connected  with  it,  is  sacred 
to  them.  Still  worse  were  the  recorded  expressions  of  a  Scotch 
Missionary  to  his  audience,  that  Christianity  was  the  perfection 
of  Wisdom,  and  was  accepted  as  such  by  the  wisest  and  best  in 
Europe,  and  that  therefore  every  other  Religion  must  be  false, 
a  deception,  and  a  sham.  Would  such  arguments  convince 
either  the  learned,  or  the  ignorant,  the  thoughtful  or  the 
thoughtless  ?  Is  it  not  more  calculated  to  provoke  antagonism, 
or  even  excite  tumult  ?  Hear  the  evidence  of  another  old 
Missionary  in  India  : 

I  confess  that  in  the  beginning  of  my  work  I  thought,  that  the  exhibition  of 
Gospel-truths  was  sufficient  to  make  an  impression  on  the  native  mind,  and 
hence,  whenever  anything  like  Hindu  doctrine  was  brought  before  us  in 
conversation  with  the  natives,  through  an  ill-directed  zeal  I  was  peremptory 
in  condemning  the  whole  without  discrimination  :  this  was  an  error  :  by  such 
zeal  we  do,  I  am  persuaded,  more  harm  than  good.  Asiatics  will  not  be 
prepared  to  receive  the  truth  from  any  one,  who  haughtily  and  peremptorily 
cries  down  everything  in  their  books,  and  so  long  as  we  show,  that  we  are 
ignorant  of  their  literature,  they  mistrust  the  correctness  of  our  doctrine. 

Besides,  in  all  religions  there  is  a  substratum  of  Truth :  why 
knock  your  head  against  adamantine  Truth  ?  Go  back  with  them 
to  the  basis  of  their  convictions,  until  common  ground  is  reached. 
Few  will  deny  the  existence  of  God,  the  immortality  of  the  Soul, 
and  the  future  Judgment :  all  will  admit,  that  Sin  exists  in  the 
world  :    bring  these  truths  home,  and  show  them  the  better  way. 

•XI.  More  dangerous  even  in  its  consequences  is  the  erection 
of  Chapels  or  Schools  in  unsuitable  places,  close  to  the  Temple 
of  the  Heathen,  or  the  Mosque  of  the  Mahometan.  We  boast 
of  our  Tolerance  in  London,  but  would  an  English  mob  tolerate 
the  erection  of  a  Mosque,  and  the  daily  Calling  to  Prayer  from 


(     30     ) 

a  Minaret,  under  the  shadow  of  Westminster  Abbey?  In  the 
whole  length  of  British  India  the  INIissionaries  have  been  sin- 
gularly discreet,  and  have  their  reward  in  well-earned  popularity. 
I  once  had  to  order  the  demolition  of  a  Chapel,  built  by  an 
ill-judging  Missionary  actually  on  the  edge  of  a  Sacred  Tank, 
which  was  a  grave  outrage  to  the  peaceful  inhabitants  of  a 
large  town.  Still  worse  was  the  proceeding  of  a  IMissionary 
in  China,  who  established  himself  upon  a  hill,  which  was  held 
in  sanctity  by  the  people,  and  made  a  grievance,  when  compelled 
to  do  unto  others  what  he  desired  that  men  should  do  unto  him. 
The  Roman  Catholic  Missionaries  keep  the  French  Minister 
at  Pekin  in  constant  hot  water  with  the  authorities  by  their 
constant  appeals  to  Treaty- Rights.  We  have  heard  old,  ex- 
perienced Missionaries  rejoice  that  during  their  whole  career 
they  had  never  appealed  to  the  Magistrate,  or  invoked  the  Arm 
of  the  Flesh  (see  Part  III.  Essay  IV.). 

XII.  The  Missionary  should  abstain  from  frothy  declamation, 
and  Egoism.  Where  is  boasting  ?  it  is  excluded  :  yet  that  such 
are  the  failings  of  inferior  Missionaries,  there  is  no  doubt.  Hear 
what  that  aged  and  experienced  Christian  Lord  Shaftesbury 
said  at  a  public  meeting  in  my  hearing  a  few  years  ago  : 

I  notice,  that  the  reports  of  the  Missionary  Societies  show  a  great  deal  more 
sense  than  they  used  to  do.  They  are  not  so  full  of  magnificent  declamation, 
or  great  promises.  They  state  things  more  accurately,  telling  their  obstacles 
and  difficulties,  and  they  are  beginning  to  come  round  to  this  great  truth,  and 
the  sooner  it  is  known  the  better,  that  certainly  Missionary  Societies  are  not 
the  great  instruments,  by  which  God  will  convert  this  world.  This  is  reserved 
for  One  higher.  It  is  because  Missionary  Societies  had  held  out  such  pro- 
digious expectations,  and  made  such  large  promises,  that  the  infidels  can  turn 
upon  us  and  say,  "  After  all  you  have  said,  what  have  you  done?  "  If  we  had 
told  them,  that  our  mission  was  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  every,  creature  and 
spread  it  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  leaving  the  issue  to  God,  we  should  haVe 
stood  a  better  chance  in  argument  with  infidels  and  gainsayers.  I  know 
Missionary  Societies  don't  like  to  be  told  this,  and,  when  to-night  I  said  at 
a  Meeting,  that  we  must  look  chiefly  for  the  grand  final  consummation  of 
the  Second  Advent,  it  was  not  denied,  but  was  not  well  received.  It  will  be 
asked  of  your  Society,  What  can  it  do  ?  Well,  if  it  depended  on  your 
intellectual  and  physical  strength,  very  little  cduld  be  done  ;  but  you  must 
remember,  that  you  are  engaged  in  raising  up  a  native  agency,  and,  if  you 
establish  the  nucleus  of  that,  it  is  impossijjle  to  predict  the  issue.  Our  duty 
is  perfectly  clear.  We  are  to  do  our  best  and  leave  the  issue  with  God.  He 
will  superintend  such  a  work  as  this,  and  carry  it  to  a  right  issue.  Our  duty 
is  to  sow  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  do  everything  we  can,  so  that,  when 
the  people  of  India  become  an  adult  nation  capable  of  governing  themselves, 
or  desiring  to  do  it,  or  taking  it  into  their  own  hands,  whether  we  desire  it  or 
not,  we  may  prepare  for  that  day  by  sowing  broadcast  the  Word  of  God.  When- 
ever we  shall  retire  from  India,  do  not  let  it  be  said,  that  we  have  left  only  in 
India  the  traces  of  Western  vice  and  oppression,  but  lot  it  be  known,  that  we 
have  sown  the  seed  of  Gospel-truth  and  done  all  we  can  to  fix  that  in  the 
hearts  of  the  people,  without  which  no  nation  can  subsist  in  peace  and  honour  ; 
and  in  sowing  the  seed  of  the  Gospel,  be  sure  of  this,  that  we  have  sown  the 
seed  of  political  morality  and  domestic  virtue. 


(     31     ) 

•  Hear  also  what  another  aged  Christian,  with  a  still  more 
intimate  knowledge  of  the  idiosyncrasies  of  men,  remarked  at  a 
dismissal  of  Missionaries  of  his  own  Society : 

Mr.  Venn  was  so  infirm  {1872)  that  he  could  not  stand  up,  but  he  read 
an  address  to  the  Missionaries  :  lie  remarked,  that  Selfishness  and  Self-seeking 
were  the  bane  of  Missionary  life  and  work.  My  work,  my  catechists,  jny 
teachers,  wzy  converts,  7?iy  pupils,  was  a  language  that  always  pained  him. 
One  of  his  hearers,  an  old  Missionary,  now  at  rest,  adds  that  he  could  not 
acquit  himself  of  the  charge.  Y.es,  it  is  the  tyrant  Sdf  \ha.t  must  decrease, 
before  Christ  can  increase. 

I  can  confirm  the  truth  of  Mr.  Venn's  complaint  from  my 
own  experience.  Whence  come  wars  and  fightings  among 
you }  Come  they  not  from  Self?  In  all  my  experience  I 
never  knew  men  so  opinionated,  so  thoroughly  perverse,  and 
unreasonable,  so  harsh  in  their  judgment  of  others,  and  so 
wilfully  disobedient  to  orders  as  some  Missionaries.  I  speak,  as 
a  Public  Officer  who  have  had  to  obey,  and  thus  learnt  how  to 
command.  In  India  I  have  known  the  Magistrate  having 
to  interfere  to  prevent  a  breach  of  the  peace  betwixt  two 
Missionaries  quarrelling  about  their  dwelling-house :  I  have 
found  Members  of  the  same  Mission,  all  noble  and  God-fearing 
men,  living  in  total  estrangement,  with  no  possible  hope  of 
reconciliation.  I  can  point  out  Stations  with  only  two  Mis- 
sionaries, unable  to  live  together,  and  as  hostile  as  dogs  and 
cats.  Public  servants  of  the  State  do  not  act  like  this,  and  are 
spiritual  men  made  of  baser  clay.?  Under  the  Statue  of  King 
Henry  V.  of  England  at  All  Souls'  College,  Oxford,  is  inscribed  : 
"  Conqueror  of  his  Enemies,  and  of  Himself."  Under  the 
picttire  of  each  Missionary  let  those  blessed  words  be  recorded : 
"  Converter  of  the  Heathen,  and  of  Himself." 

XIII.  I  read,  that  in  China  some  Protestant  Missionaries, 
following  the  example  of  the  Roman  Catholics,  adopt  the 
native  garb,  and  maintain,  that  the  influence  of  so  doing  was 
beneficial.  I  cannot  believe  it.  No  Protestant  Missionary 
in  India  has  ever  done  so  :  it  is  not  suggested,  that  a  Mis- 
sionary in  Africa,  and  his  wife,  should  dispense  with  garments 
altogether,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  country,  or  in  cold 
Northern  climates  adopt  the  costume  of  the  Eskimo.  Surely  it  is 
better,  that  each  Nation  should  adhere  to  its  own  habits,  its  own 
dress,  its  own  nomenclature,  its  own  manner  of  food,  its  own 
peculiar  culture.  The  Missionary  should  abstain  from  introducing 
among  his  flock  the  personal  and  local  names  of  his  distant  country. 
Why  not  allow  the  people  to  use  the  same  names  as  their  non- 
Christian  ancestors.  St.  Paul  has  set  us  this  example.  Tryphena, 
and  Tryph6sa  are  not  very  spiritual  names,  and  yet  they  were 
retained.  Then  the  introduction  of  Bethel,  and  Bethesda,  and 
such  like  local  names,  is  open  to  great  objection.    Some  of  our 


(     32     ) 

great  Hindu  converts,  Krishna  Mohiin  Banerji,  Gopi  Chand, 
and  Ram  Chand,  retained  their  Heathen  names,  though  actually 
names  of  their  false  Gods.  Equally  objectionable  is  the  practice 
of  urging  them  to  change  their  costumes,  their  mode  of  life, 
and  thus  inclosing  in  an  ephemeral,  worldly,  perishable,  husk 
the  eternal,  unchangeable,  spiritual,  kernel  of  the  Gospel.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  employment  of  Native  music,  and  other 
unobjectionable  Native  arts,  is  to  be  recommended. 

XIV.  The  Missionary  should  care  for  the  health  of  himself, 
and  his  family.  It  has  cost  much  to  bring  him  to  his  post. 
Disease  and  death  have  already  too  many  opportunities:  let  him 
not  by  rash  exposure  multiply  those  risks.  St.  Paul  shows  a 
tender  care  for  the  health  of  Timothy.  Even  in  things  secular 
prudence  is  advisable.  Prudence  enabled  me,  and  many  others, 
to  pass  a  quarter  of  a  Century  in  uninterrupted  health  in  India, 
and  return  to  our  native  land  stronger  than  our  contemporaries, 
who  had  never  left  England.  The  Missionary  has  consecrated 
life  and  faculties  to  his  Master;  let  him  take  care  of  the  poor 
weak  earthly  tabernacle,  not  for  its  own  sake,  for  it  is  worthless, 
but  as  the  necessary  adjunct  to  the  Spirit,  which  he  has  con- 
secrated. The  care,  which  the  Parent-Committee  takes  of  its 
Missionary,  is  nullified,  if  he  himself,  by  false  confidence  or 
carelessness,  does  not  take  care  of  himself,  and  his  wife. 

XV.  Let  the  Missionary  shun  the  worldly  and  fashionable  life 
of  his  countrymen  :  he  will  find  it  impossible  to  maintain  the 
double  position.  If  he  cares  for  the  Natives,  as  he  ought  to  care, 
he  must  live  for  them,  and  among  them.  He  cannot,  and  he 
ought  not  to  drag  them  up  :  he  must  condescend  to  men  of  their 
estate,  leading  a  simple  holy  life  in  their  midst.  The  residence 
of  the  Missionary,  and  his  way  of  life,  should  be  simple :  his 
profession  is  a  serious  one,  and  his  family  should  not  surround 
themselves  with  the  luxuries  of  secular  life.  In  the  Missionary 
Conference  at  Lahore  in  i86z,  I  was  amazed  at  the  manifestation 
of  the  seeds  of  bitterness  already  sowed  betwixt  the  Missionary, 
and  his  Converts,  and  this  is  one  of  the  trials  of  the  future.  It 
is  vain  to  suppose,  that  the  man  of  European  culture  can  ever  be 
brought  to  the  level  of  the  Natives  of  Asia,  Africa,  or  Oceania: 
there  is  the  abyss  of  centuries  betwixt  them  :  but  the  difference 
need  not  be  accentuated. 

XVI.  The  Native  ordained  Evangelist  and  Pastor  will,  under 
any  form  of  Church  organization,  claim  to  be  on  an  equality 
with  the  Missionary;  but  there  must  always  be  one  exception, 
and  the  control  of  the  expenditure  of  the  funds,  supplied  by  the 
Parent-Committee,  must  be  reserved  to  the  Missionary  only ; 
while  the  Native  Church  has  control  over  its  own  funds. 

XVII.  And  let  the  Missionary  eschew  narrowness  of  mind  : 
let  him  be  liberal  in  every  word  and  deed,  except  in  what  affects 


(     33     ) 

his  most  Holy  Faith  :  in  that  let  him  be  strictly  conservative. 
Hear  what  one  writing  from  China  writes  in  the  leading  English 
Daily  with  regard  to  Missionaries  in  China. 

The  narrowness  of  many  of  the  Missionaries  has  evolved  a  further  specific 
obstacle  to  their  success,  in  that  it  has  led  them  to  denounce  what  they  designate 
as  the  worship  of  ancestors  as  idolatry,  thus  doing  despite  to  a  pious  and 
ennobling  sentiment.  Surely  nothing  could  be  more  ill-judged  or  less 
Christianlike  than  to  affront  the  conscience  of  a  whole  people  m  this  manner. 
Similar  measures  meted  out  .to  the  English  people  would  let  loose  the 
iconoclast  in  St.  Paul's  and  Westminster  Abbey.  - 

And  with  regard  to  India,  why  do  Missionaries  run  a  tilt,  and 
a  very  hopeless  tilt  indeed,  against  that  peculiar  custom  in  India,- 
known  as  Caste  ?  It  exists  all  over  the  world,  in  Great  Britain, 
and  in  North  America.  The  JMissionary  himself  would  shudder 
at  the  idea  of  his  daughter  marrying  the  Native  Pastor,  or  of  his 
being  compelled  with  his  wife  and  family  to  eat  his  meals  with 
the  men  of  less  clean  habits  in  the  Native  village  :  he  would 
say,  with  justice,  that  his  origin,  his  habits,,  his  culture,  are 
different :  but  the  population  of  India  is  made  up  of  an  infinite 
number  of  races,  and  tribes,  which  never  have  fused  together, 
and  they  shun  intermarriage  and  commensality.  Let  everything 
else  which  is  called  Caste,  be  swept  away :  one  caste  does  not 
ordinarily  pretend,  that  it  is  better  than  another,  duf  different,  and, 
the  lower  the  Caste  is,  the  more  particular  are  the  Caste-rules. 
The  Civil  Government  in  its  Schools,  its  Railroads,  its  Ferries, 
its  Courts  of  Justice,  refuses  to  recognize  Caste :  let  the 
Missionary  draw  the  same  line,  and  insist,  that  in  the  School, 
and  Chapel,  and  at  the  Lord's  Table,  there  is  no  Caste,  but  not 
attempt  Love- Feasts  and  Social  gatherings,  and  forcihly  unite  in 
marriages  converts  of  different  Castes.  We  should  not  tolerate 
such  action  by  a  Minister  in  any  British,  or  American,  Church. 
Each  class  of  the  community  lives  its  social  life  apart.  The 
Missionary  by  the  necessity  of  the  Vernacular  is  tied  for  the 
whole  of  his  life  to  one  narrow  Field  :  he  picks  out  what  he  con- 
siders to  be  the  great  obstacle  to  his  progress,  and  denounces 
it,  without  considering  that  the  progress  of  Missions  in  other 
Regions,  where  that  particular  obstacle  does  not  exist,  is  not 
more  encouraging  (see  Part  II.  Essay  IV.). 

XVHI.  Another  caution  is  required.  The  majority  of  Mis- 
sionaries are  men  of  ordinary  talent  and  acquirements,  though 
of  unblemished  character,  and  of  great  self-consecration :  but 
amidst  their  number  in  all  denominations  rise  up  from  time  to 
time,  men  who  are  giants,  whose  talents  are  of  the  highest 
calibre.  These  men  throw  a  lustre  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  over 
their  profession,  but  are  not  necessarily  better  Missionaries.  If 
their  talents  are  linguistic,  they  cannot  exert  them  too  freely,  or 
too  abundantly,  in  the  work  of  translations  of  the  Scriptures,  and 


(     34     ) 

composing  of  Educational  and  Devotional  works ;  but,  if  their 
talents  are  those  of  the  Man  of  Science,  they  should  remember, 
that  they  were  not  sent  forth  at  the  expense  of  Churches,  and 
Families,  to  be  Geographers,  or  Explorers,  or  Botanists,  or  Zoolo- 
gists, or  Conchologists,  or  Geologists,  or  to  establish  Plantations, 
or  Manufactures,  or  Trade,  or  to  plant  Cocoa-nut  trees,  or 
breed  Ostriches,  but  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  they 
should  maintain  a  holy  restraint  upon  themselves,  folding  up 
their  particular  talents,  perhaps  with  a  sigh,  in  a  napkin,  rather 
than  permit  them  to  hamper  the  work  for  which  they  were  called 
and  chosen.  The  idea  of  a  self-supporting  Mission  is  a  dream. 
It  distresses  me  to  read  in  Stanley's  "  Kongo  "  of  a  INIissionary, 
who  had  shot  twenty-five  elephants,  and  made  great  profit  by  the 
sale  of  the  tusks.  Still  more  distressed  was  I,  when  I  came  upon 
French  Missionaries  in  Algeria  distilling  intoxicating  liqueurs 
(see  Part  III.  Essay  I.). 

XIX.  The  Missionary  in  these  days  should  ponder  well  over 
the  last  verse  of  the  ninth  chapter  of  St.  Luke's  Gospel.  Here 
again  the  Roman  Catholic  Missionary  presents  a  bright  example, 
and  magnificent  examples  are  supplied  in  the  annals  of  every 
Protestant  Mission.  It  is  a  life-work,  which  the  Missionary 
undertakes,  and  he  should  not  be  always  running  home.  When 
tempted  to  leave  India,  Carey  remarked  : 

I  account  this  my  own  country,  and  have  not  the  least  inclination  to  leave  it. 

And  he  never  did.  What  an  undignified  position  the  returned 
Missionary  occupies  in  his  own  country,  talked  of  as  the 
"  returned  empty ! "  The  contrast  of  those  brave  men,  who 
hold  on  beyond  their  strength,  comes  out  more  strongly,  when 
the  faces  of  others  are  seen  so  often  in  England.  It  was  not  so 
formerly,  but  with  the  facility  of  communication  has  come  'a 
laxity  of  control,  and  an  infirmity  of  will.  Of  course  a  medical 
certificate  has  to  be  complied  with,  as  lives  must  not  be  sacrificed  ; 
but  I  allude  to  other  cases.  Hear  what  a  Bishop,  who  died  at 
his  post,  says  : 

It  was  a  very  nice  question  of  conscience,  how  far  a  man  who  leaves  his 
post,  because  his  'wife  is  ill,  can  suppose  himself  one  of  those,  who  are  expected 
to  leave  everything  for  Christ. 

And  again  : 

An  ordained  man  is  bound  to  give  practical  proof,  that  he  does  reckon  his 
calling  something  higher  than  a  comfortable  home  and  easy-going  quiet.  I 
should  be  ashamed  to  read  our  Lord's  words  about  forsaking  homes  and  so 
forth,  if  I  had  refused,  wketi  I  had  a  clear  opportunity,  to  do  the  thing,  which 
He  recommended. 

It  is  all  very  well  to  say  in  an  off'-hand  way,  that  Mission-work 
among  the  Heathen  of  Great  Britain  is  not  essentially  dififerent 
from  work  among  the  Heathen  of  Asia  and  Africa.    Yes,  Friend, 


C    35    ) 

but  the  climate,  and  the  degree  of  self-consecration,  and  the 
exile,  and  the  accommodation,  and  the  character  of  the  un- 
civilized races,  are  essentially  different.  It  is  all  very  well  for 
young  men,  after  taking  deacons'  orders,  to  try  two  or  three 
years  at  their  own  charges,  and,  if  they  find  themselves  unequal 
to  the  burden,  they  can  with  honour  retire  from  a  service,  to 
which  they  had  never  consecrated  themselves,  because  they 
have  never  been  a  charge  to  the  Churches,  and  have  shown  a 
desire  to  serve  God  in  a  way,  for  which-experience  has  proved 
that  they  were  not  suitable.  But  the  Missionary,  who  has  been 
educated  at  the  cost  of  a  Society,  who  has  been  supported 
by  the  alms  of  a  Church,  who  has  openly  consecrated  himself 
to  a  particular  Mission,  acquired  the  language,  and  proved  his 
efficiency,  such  a  man  is  distinctly  "  looking  back,  after  putting 
his  hand  to  the  plough  "  :  such  a  man  is  forgetting  his  first  love  : 
such  a  man  is  not  giving  up  everything  for  Christ.  To  sink 
to  worldly  examples  :  a  volunteer  soldier  might  have  gone  out  to 
the  Crimea  to  try  his  capacity,  and,  failing,  might  have  returned 
home :  but  one  of  the  Queen's  soldiers  must  have  gone,  stayed, 
fought,  and  died  :  it  would  have  been  no  use  for  him  to  say,  that 
soldiers'  work  at  Dublin,  or  Windsor,  or  Aldershot,  is  the  same 
as  soldiers'  work  in  the  Crimea  :  if  he  had  done  so,  every  post 
would  have  brought  him  a  cover  enclosing  a  white  feather. 
Shall  the  Soldier  of  Christ  fall  below  the  high  standard  of  the 
Soldiers  of  the  Queen  ?  This  is  one  of  the  notable  instances 
of  the  want  of  fibre  in  the  modern  Missionary. 

XX.  Missionaries  should  not  be  down-hearted,  if  their  labours 
are  not  crowned  by  immediate  visible  success.  Nothing  is  more 
remarkable  in  INIissionary  Annals  than  the  uncertainty  of  results. 
"  I  planted,  Apollos  watered,  but  God  gave  the  increase."  We 
read  in  the  biographies  of  Missionaries,  how  in  some  cases  a 
harvest  suddenly  sprung  up,  and  then  all  faded  away :  in  other 
cases  no  harvest  at  all  appeared  in  the  lifetime  of  the  laborious 
founder,  but  soon  after  his  departure,  there  has  come  a  change, 
and  his  successor  has  entered  into  his  labours.  To  few  has  it 
been  conceded  to  do  what  is  recorded,  on  the  tombstone  of  a 
Missionary  in  one  of  the  Islands  of  Polynesia  : 

When  he  came  there  were  no  Christians  :  when  he  left  there  were  no 
Heathen. 

After  all,  if  he  has  preached  the  Gospel  faithfully,  as  far  as  he  is 
concerned,  his  work  is  done. 

XXI.  Missionaries  should  ask  themselves,  why  Missionaries, 
and  Missions,  are  so  exceedingly  unpopular  among  their  own 
countrymen,  sojourners  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  and  in 
their  own  native  lands.  Yet  it  is  so  undoubtedly.  And  it  is  not 
the  irreligious  and  unbelievers,  that  speak  ill  of  them,  but  persons 
who  are  given  to  benevolence,  but  have  a  deep-rooted  aversion 


(     36    ) 

to  Religious  Missions.  There  are  certain  individuals,  families, 
and  classes,  who  enthusiastically  support  Missions,  but  the  great 
majority  ignore  the  work,  the  men,  and  their  publications.  I 
remark  this  Phenomenon  with  regret,  but  I  do  remark  it,  and  see 
clearly  the  cause  (see  Part  II.  Essay  V.). 

XXII.  I  remarked  above,  that  Missionaries  are  narrow  in 
vision.  Cannot  they  correct  this  by  reading  systematically  the 
Periodicals  and  Reports  of  other  Societies,  of  other  Denomi- 
nations, and  cannot  the  Parent-Committee  supply  them  ?  Each 
Society  should  publish  Biographical  notices  of  esteemed  deceased 
Missionaries,  and  collective  narratives  of  each  Mission,  so  that 
the  traditions  of  the  past  may  be  maintained.  The  Missionary 
will  then  find  that  the  difficulties,  which  press  on  him  in  some 
remote  corner  of  the  world,  have  been  disposed  of  elsewhere : 
he  will  find  methods,  and  machinery  at  work,  which  will  admir- 
ably meet  his  wants,  but  of  which  he  had  never  heard  :  he  will 
gather  wisdom  from  the  failures  of  others,  as  well  as  his  own. 
The  Lawyer,  the  Statesman,  the  Merchant,  in  their  secular 
avocations,  do  this  with  advantage.  The  human  side  of  Mission 
work  is  an  Art  and  a  Science,  and  is  progressive  from  age  to  age. 
The  Grace  of  God  upon  the  imperfect  labours  of  his  Servants 
is  unchanged.  Not  only  the  most  excellent  materials,  but  the 
highest  professional  skill  of  the  period,  were  consecrated  to  the 
erection  of  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem  (see  Part  III.  Essay  VII.). 

XXIII.  The  ]\Iissionary  should  take  pains  with  his  Annual 
Report :  he  should  abstain  from  Scripture-quotations,  and  stock- 
phrases  of  piety,  which  are  expressions  of  common  form,  and 
neither  calculated  to  instruct,  inform,  or  edify.  I  read  Mis- 
sionary Reports  by  the  yard,  or  the  furlong,  and  such  conven- 
tional expressions  pall  very  much  on  the  taste,  and  most  readers 
skip  them.  Sometimes  there  is  a  most  indecorous,  and  unjustifi- 
able, familiarity  with  the  plans  of  Almighty  God.  I  have  some- 
times remonstrated  against  the  vain  repetition  of  the  Divine 
Name  in  every  page,  but  have  been  told,  that  the  supporters  of 
the  Society  expect  it :  they  should  be  taught  better  things :  the 
compiler  of  the  Report  should  try  to  elevate  the  taste  of  his 
readers,  and  not  lower  himself  to  their  vulgar  level.  The  allusion 
to  birth  or  death  of  children  of  the  Missionaries  is  really  quite 
unnecessary.  I  sometimes  seem  to  detect^jn  a  good  report  the 
marks  of  a  second  hand,  which  has  inserted  pious  tags,  or  hits 
against  the  Roman  Catholic,  or  a  tilt  against  Caste,  or  the  Opium 
Trade,   as  if    some  one  on    a   perusal  of    the  draft  had  said, 

"  Mrs. ,  or  Dr. ,  who  are  good  supporters,  lay  great  stress 

on  such  remarks  to  flavour  the  Report."  Many  Reports,  however, 
contain  no  such  blemishes,  or  conventionalities,  and  yet  from  the 
first  to  the  last  line  breathe  a  holy  and  devoted  spirit.  The  Bible 
is  not  textually  quoted,  but  the  whole  Report  is,  as  it  were,  steeped 


(     37    ) 

in  the  very  essence  of  the  Scriptures.  If  my  subordinates  in  secular 
employ  had  garnished  their  report,  with  weak  platitudes,  and 
quotations,  I  should  have  checked  them  by  the  remark,  that  I 
knew  them  better  than  they  did.  The  Parent-Committee  can  say 
the  same,  as  it  has  to  read  them  from  year  to  year.  Sensational 
stories  of  death-bed  scenes  are  not  wanted :  a  narrative  of  the 
consistent  walk  of  a  redeemed  community  is  more  acceptable. 
.A  thoughtful  and  earnest  labourer  can  so  bring  his  joys  and 
sorrows,  his  successes  and  failures,  hi-s  hopes  and  his  fears, 
before  his  friends  at  home,  in  a  humble  and  subdued  tone,  as 
will  secure  their  love  and  esteem.  Above  all,  let  there  be  no 
abuse  of  the  Powers  that  be,  no  railing  against  men  in  authority, 
no  sneers  at  Missionaries  of  other  denominations.  Such  phrases 
do  not  speak  well  for  the  Christian  spirit  of  the  writer.  He  can 
state  his  facts  truthfully,  and  leave  it  to  the  Parent-Committee  to 
form  a  judgment  on  those  facts.  Stereotyped  abuse  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Missionaries  should  be  specially  avoided.  Any  case  of 
illegal  aggression  should  be  the  subject  of  a  separate  letter.  The 
Missionary  sometimes  forgets,  how  completely  the  weakness  of 
his  own  character  is  evidenced,  and  exposed,  by  his  own  letters. 

XXIV.  It  would  seem  incredible,  that  INIissionaries  should  be 
charged  with  the  heinous  crime  of  promoting  wars  among 
Native  Tribes,  but  I  adduce  the  following  resolution  of  the 
Aborigines  Society  as  proof: 

This  Society,  while  rejoicing  in  the  early  termination  of  the  Zulu  war,  and 
expressing  an  earnest  hope,  that  Cetywayo  may  yet  be  dealt  with  in  a  just  and 
magnanimous  spirit,  desires  to  call  the  serious  attention  of  the  Missionary 
Societies  to  the  support,  which  many  of  their  representatives  in  South  Africa 
have  given  to  this  wicked  and  unnecessary  war,  apparently  under  the  impression, 
that  the  cause  of  Missions  will  be  promoted  by  the  invasion  and  conquest  of 
the  Zulu  territory.  This  Society  believes,  that  no  idea  could  be  more  immoral 
in  itself,  or  more  calculated  to  prove  fatal  to  Missionary  enterprise  in  South 
Africa,  and  it  therefore  considers,  that  the  time  has  come,  when  it  is  imperative 
that  the  Missionary  Societies  should  impress  upon  their  Agents  the  duty  of 
giving  no  countenance  to  a  course  of  action  so  opposed  to  the  principles,  upon 
which  those  Societies  are  based,  as  well  as  to  the  traditional  practice  of  British 
Missionaries,  who  have  laboured  among  uncivilized  races. 

The  French  Protestant  Missionaries  openly  admit,  that  they 
encouraged  the  Ba-Siito  in  South  Africa  to  fight  against  the 
British  (see  Part  III.  Essay  V.).  It  would  seem,  as  if  the 
IMissionary  Societies  on  Lake  Nyassa  regarded  with  com- 
placency the  idea  of  a  British  invasion  of  that  Region,  which 
would  necessarily  be  accompanied  by  slaughter  of  the  people, 
whom  they  wish  to  convert  (see  Part  III.  Essay  V.). 

XXV.  The  Missionary  should  refrain  from  teaching  his  con- 
verts the  details  of  National,  or  Denominational,  differences, 
which  have  defaced  the  History  of  Europe.  How  ridiculous  it 
sounds,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Islands  in  Oceania   should  be 


(     38     ) 

encouraged  to  celebrate  the  anniversary  of  the  Battle  of  Waterloo, 
or  the  Fourth  of  July  (see  Part  III.  Essay  III.). 

XXVI.  The  Missionary  is  sent  out  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and 
he  will  find  that  to  do  that  properly  will  require  all  his  time, 
strength,  and  ability.  He  should  not  meddle  with  matters,  lying 
out  of  the  orbit  of  his  chosen  and  blessed  duty.  St.  Paul  is  his 
great  example.  At  Corinth,  or  at  Rome,  he  saw  "  Nothing  but 
Christ  crucified."  Missionaries  should  not  take  up  fads,  and 
give  way  to  crazes,  and  join  crusades  against  the  evils  of  this 
wicked  world.  Many  practices,  which  seem  strange  to  them, 
have  the  sanction  of  centuries,  such  as  child-marriages,  and  will 
only  be  abandoned  under  the  gradual  enlightenment  of  Christian 
education  (see  Part  III.  Essay  VI.). 

XXVII.  How  thoroughly  the  French  Missionary  is  imbued 
with  the  idea  of  being  a  Frenchman  first,  and  a  Christian  after- 
wards, is  evidenced  by  the  fact,  that  in  December,  1885,  M 
Casalis,  a  Missionary  of  the  French  Missions  Evangeliques,  in 
Ba-Suto-land,  was  decorated  with  the  order  of  the  Legion  of 
Honour  because  : 

II  a  contribue  par  ses  Missions  au  developpement  de  I'influence  francaise 
dans  I'Afrique  Austiale.     Titres  exceptionelles. 

The  Periodical  states,  that  a  considerable  population  in  the  heart 
of  a  British  Colony  only  pronounce  the  name  of  France  to  bless 
it,  as  it  is  synonymous  with  Goodness,  Justice  and  Charity  (see 
Part  HI.  Essay  IV.). 

XXVIII.  Missionaries  must  not  think,  that  they  have  a  right 
to  turn  their  residences  into  asylums  against  the  Police  of  the 
Country,  in  which  they  reside,  and  to  write  protests  against  the 
proceedings  of  the  Government  against  their  owti  subjects,  or 
express  their  opinion  as  to  the  justice  of  the  procedure,  or  the 
innocence  of  the  accused.  Let  them  only  reflect,  how  such  con- 
duct on  their  part  would  be  laughed  at,  or  perhaps  fined,  in 
British  India  (see  Part  III.  Essay  IV.). 

XXIX.  The  European  IMissionary  should  from  the  beginning 
work  with  the  steady  policy  of  effacing,  himself,  at  as  early  a 
date  as  possible,  and  placing  the  Native  Ministry  in  power.  All 
buildings  should  be  erected  with  that  view ;  the  European  should 
act  the  part  of  a  temporary  visitor,  with  no  intention  of  staying, 
or  being  a  burden  to  his  flock,  or  his  Church  at  Home.  He 
must  not  keep  his  flock  in  helpless  pupilage,  and  treat  them  as 
mere  children.  They  are  wiser  than  him  in  many  things.  At 
any  rate  they  represent  the  public  feeling  of  their  own  people. 
They  must  be  reminded  from  the  first,  that  they  are  responsible. 
It  may  be  a  trial  to  an  orderly  mind  to  see  work  less  well  done 
according  to  red  tape,  or  rubrics  ;  yet  one,  who  loves  the  object, 
will  look  over  the  defects  of  the  work  in  the  present  generation, 
in  the  anticipation  of  perfection  in  the  next.      Remember  that 


(     39    ) 

■  the  Syrian  Church  in  India,  the  Koptic  in  Egypt,  the  Armenian, 
Syrian,  Nestorian,  and  Greek  in  West  Asia,  have  managed  on  a 
purely  native  basis  to  outlive  oppression,  in  spite  of  ignorance. 

XXX.  A  Mission-Station  should  not  be  allowed  to  be  a  city  of 
refuge  to  runaway  slaves ;  it  is  dangerous,  and  is  wrong.  St. 
Paul  did  not  do  so.  Until  the  Civil  Power  abolishes  the  status 
of  slavery,  the  Church  can  only  look  on  in  sorrow.  I  give 
instances  of  the  inconvenience  : 

Reported  that  a  catechist  had  lately  been  in  trouble  through  assisting  a  man, 
who  had  escaped  from  a  creditor.  The  man  was  recaptured,  and  told  the 
authorities  what  had  been  done  to  help  him,  so  the  catechist  was  fined  ^3  2s.  6d., 
which  he  hoped  would  be  repaid  to  him  by  the  Committee.  The  F.C.  felt 
unable  to  do  this,  but  the  various  members  subscribed  £2  55.,  and  decided  to 
ask  friends  for  the  balance. 

A  catechist  was  charged  with  helping  two  slaves  of  an  influential  chief  to 
escape,  and  he  demanded  restitution.  The  matter  at  one  time  looked  serious, 
but  appears  now  to  be  settled.    Such  cases  show  the  continued  need  of  caution. 

And  again : 

I  asked  Bishop  Patteson  of  Melanesia  to  consider,  what  was  the  sight  to  a 
Christian  man,  of  slaves  driven  off  with  a  yoke  on  their  necks,  and  whether  it 
did  not  justify  armed  interposition.  He  replied,  upholding  the  principle,  that 
the  shepherd  is  shepherd  of  the  cruel  and  erring,  as  well  as  of  the  oppressed, 
and  ought  not  to  interfere. 

I  found  in  Morocco  last  year,  that  an  agent  for  the  conversion 
of  the  Jews  chose  to  interfere  as  regards  the  sale  of  slaves,  for- 
bidding husband  and  wife  to  be  sold  separately :  this,  no  doubt, 
was  a  right  suggestion,  but  what  business  had  he  to  give  it  ? 
It  might  have  cost  him  his  life,  and  placed  the  Diplomatic 
Representative  of  his  country  in  great  difficulties.  He  received 
a  caution  at  my  suggestion  to  keep  to  his  own  work. 

XXXI.  The  Missionary  should  try  to  make  the  Native  Chiefs 
exercise  a  rightful  authority,  and  only  give  them  advice.  Traders 
charge  the  Missionary  with  usurpation  of  power,  and  meddling 
with  politics,  and  trade;  those  complain  most,  who  want  to  take 
advantage  of  Native  ignorance.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Mis- 
sionary should  steadily  refuse  to  constitute  himself  a  Chieftain, 
or  arrogate  power  and  authority  (see  Part  II.  Essay  III.). 

XXXII.  It  is  really  essential,  that  a  Missionary  should  move 
about  among  the  people.  A  rolling  stone  is  said  to  gather  no 
moss,  but  a  stone,  that  never  moves,  is  apt  to  be  choked  with 
moss.  Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  should  he  itinerate  too  widely,  but 
return  year  by  year  to  old  acquaintances.  Human  kindness  is 
a  key,  that  opens  every  door,  however  firmly  it  may  seem  to  be 
closed  against  us.  In  the  early  days  of  a  Mission,  before  the 
language  is  learnt,  very  little  dependence  can  be  placed  on  oral 
teaching,  but  power  and  influence  is  obtained  by  a  consistent 
Christian  life.  Something  in  the  manner,  and  voice,  and  general 
bearing,  has   a   magic  eifect   upon  unsophisticated  races,  and 


(    40    ) 

the  constant  exhibition  of  the  Christian  virtues  of  gentleness, 
patience,  pity,  purity,  can  never  be  without  its  charm.  The 
Missionary  should  set  the  example  of  a  steady  and  willing 
obedience  to  the  law  of  the  land  :  he  assumes  an  awful  and 
dangerous  responsibility,  when  he  encourages  people,  over  whom 
he  has  influence,  to  resist  the  Powers  that  be,  forgetting  the 
advice  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Romans,  who  dwelt  under  the  rule  of 
the  Emperor  Nero. 

XXXIII.  The  subject  of  Education  as  a  Missionary  agency, 
requires  serious  reflection  with  reference  to  the  circumstances 
of  each  Field.  It  is  the  "  hiding  of  power,"  that  has  done  so 
much  in  primitive  Missions  for  the  Spiritual  Kingdom.  It  may 
be  a  question,  whether  High  Schools,  and  Colleges,  excellent 
in  themselves,  are  proper  Apostolic  methods,  and  proper  objects 
for  money  collected  to  preach  the  Gospel.  I  do  not  like  to  see 
the  Message  of  Salvation  sandwiched  between  Moral  Philosophy 
and  Physics  :  if  the  Schools  are  intended  to  train  evangelizmg 
agents,  or  to  educate  the  children  of  Christian  converts  up  to 
the  level  of  reading  the  Bible,  and  no  further,  call  them  so.  Know- 
ledge is  Power,  and  it  cannot  be  right  with  Mission-collections 
to  elevate  the  converts  to  a  status  in  life  above  that  of  their 
friends.  The  fear  is,  lest  in  the  midst  of  all  the  Educational 
tendencies,  the  direct  preaching  of  the  Gospel  should  fall  out  of 
fashion.  All  other  matters  are  ancillary.  In  British  India  the 
Missionary  might  leave  Education  to  the  State,  and  care  for  the 
Education  of  his  converts,  and  training  colleges  and  schools. 
What  has  the  Missionary  to  do  with  Higher  Education  ?  Is  he 
qualified  any  more  than  an  ordinary  Minister  in  Great  Britain, 
to  superintend  an  Educational  establishment  higher  than  a 
Sunday  School  }  (see  Part  II.  Essay  VII.). 

XXXIV.  Hear  the  voice  of  a  late  Viceroy  of  India  : 

Nothing  in  my  opinion  could  be  more  entirely  alien  to  the  feelings  of  Henry 
Venn,  who  of  all  men  I  ever  knew  was  the  most  interested  in  Missionary  work, 
and  the  wisest  conductor  of  Missionary  operations,  than  that  Missionaries  of  any 
kind  should  be  betrayed  into  using  physical  force  to  control  the  Natives  of  the 
country,  to  which  they  are  sent.  Missionaries  must  be  prepared,  if  they  go  to 
foreign  countries,  to  carry  their  lives  in  their  hands.  They  have  lost  their  lives 
on  former  occasions,  and  it  is  needless  to  say,  that  a  man  in  that  position,  taking 
the  Message  of  God  to  the  Natives  of  Africa,  is  bound  to  lose  his  life  rather 
than  use  physical  force. 

(See  Part  HI.  Essays  HI.  IV.  V.) 

XXXV.  While  on  the  one  hand  Missionaries  should  not  refuse 
to  give  presents  in  lieu  of  transit-duty,  and  reasonable  taxation 
to  the  Sovereign,  or  Chief  of  the  country,  they  should  resist  all 
exactions,  and  rather  leave  the  country,  if  the  demands  are 
unreasonable  :  they  should  have  about  them  as  little  property  as 
possible,  so  as  not  to  excite  cupidity :  under  no  possible  circum- 
stances should  a  Missionary  make  presents  of  lethal  weapons  of 


■(     41     ) 

"any  kind,  ammunition,  or  intoxicating  liquors  or  drugs :  he  should 
not  have  such  things  with  him  to  give.  It  is  scarcely  credible, 
but  it  is  recorded  as  a  fact,  that  Missionaries  have  presented 
firearms  to  Natives.  They  should  be  prohibited  from  doing  so, 
either  in  their  private  capacity,  or  their  public  position  as  agents 
of  the  Society  (see  Part  III.  Essay  IV.). 

XXXVI.  After  all,  the  formation  of  Christian  communities,  and 
the  creation  of  Christian  life,  is  the  object  of  Missions.  I  inclose 
this  quotation  as  a  warning  and  an  encouragement: 

In  estimating  the  advance,  which  has  been  made  in  developing  a  higher  type 
of  Christian. life,  I  fully  recognize  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  reliable  data  for 
observation,  and  I  do  not  forget  how  misleading  it  often  is,  to  apply  a  time- 
standard  in  calculating  the  growth  of  moral  perceptions  and  spiritual  instincts. 
The  Natives  have  been  nominal  Christians  for  more  than  fifty  years.  The  time 
has  been  long  enough  to  effect  a  great  change,  but  let  our  demands  be  reason- 
able. It  is  unreasonable  to  expect  from  a  people,  who  had  sunk  so  low,  a  type 
of  exceptional  holiness,  or  to  complain,  because  they  are  not  paragons  of  virtue, 
and  superior  to  the  grosser  forms  of  vice.  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  that 
a  very  great  change  has  been  wrought,  and  a  change  as  great,  as  I  have  any 
right  to  expect.  I  have  met  and  addressed  large  assemblies  of  Native  Christians. 
I  have  met  in  conference  more  than  two  hundred  native  pastors.  I  have 
attended  meetings  at  the  college,  where  more  than  one  hundred  students  were 
present.  I  have  had  quiet  talks  with  individuals.  I  have  talked  with  Mis- 
sionaries and  foreigners  about  the  converts,  and  unhesitatingly  I  affirm,  that 
a  great  and  unmistakably  Christian  work  has  been  accomplished.  Native 
Christians  have  not  yet  conquered  their  characteristic  national  and  social  weak- 
nesses, but  the  force  of  new  Christian  principles  is  felt,  and  the  Divine  truths 
of  the  Gospel  are  transforming,  by  a  sure  process,  the  character  of  the  people. 
It  is  possible,  to  throw  over  Paganism  a  Christian  dress  without  changing  the 
old  pagan  heart  or  eradicating  the  pagan  nature.  I  am  persuaded  that  more 
than  this  has  been  done.  The  pagan  nature  has,  in  many  cases,  been  brought 
into  subjection  to  the  mind  of  Christ,  and  the  subjection  has  advanced  as  rapidly 
as  the  circumstances  surrounding  these  people  would  permit.  I  place  no  limit 
on  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  I  do  not  forget,  that  the  effect  of 
human  environment  is  still  seen  in  those,  who  are  manifestly  the  subjects  of  the 
Spirit's  power. 

One  hindrance  to  the  spiritual  advancement  of  the  people  is  to  be  found 
in  the  influence  of  a  certain  class  of  foreigners,  who  have  settled  in  the 
islands.  I  gladly  recognize  the  fact,  that  there  are  creditable  exceptions  ;  but 
my  report  would  not  be  complete,  if  I  did  not  refer  to  the  foreign  element  as 
being  in  too  many  cases  a  distinct  obstacle  to  the  Christian  life  of  the  Native 
churches. 

We  must  not  expect  to  find  angels,  but  we  may  hope  not  to 
find  surface-Christians  or  downright  hypocrites,  or  dull  formalists, 
or,  as  may  be  said  of  the  Romish  converts,  the  same  men  using 
difierent  fetishes,  and  repeating  different,  but  still  unintelligible, 
formulae. 

XXXVII.  Hear  the  words  of  an  Indian  statesman,  a  true 
friend  of  Missions,  from  whose  published  works  I  extract  the 
following:  let  Missionaries  lay  it  to  their  hearts  (see  Part  III. 
Essay  VI.) : 

The  natural  right  of  a  Hindu  parent  to  direct  the   religious  education  of  his 


(      42       ) 

child,  while  under  years  of  discretion,  is  as  sacred,  as  that  of  the  Christian 
Parent.  It  cannot  be  interfered  with  l)y  the  State  without  a  breach  of  the  first 
principles  of  Christian  Liberty,  towliich  we  ourselves  should  appeal,  were  we  the 
subject  party.  The  spirit  of  Christian  Equity  enjoins  us  to  do  unto  others  as  we 
would  that  we  should  be  done  by. 

XXXVIII.  Hear  the  advice  of  a  dead  J^Iissionary,  one  of  the 
Saints  of  God,  from  whose  life  I  extract  it : 

1.  Of  all  qualifications  for  Mission  work,  CHARITY  is  most  excellent. 

2.  Of  all  methods,  the  only  safe  and  sure  one  is  to  purge  the  heart  of  Vain- 
glory, Worklliness,  and  Selfishness. 

3.  Of  all  plans  to  insure  success,  the  most  certain  is  Christ's  own,  and 
becoming  a  corn  of  wheat  falling  into  the  ground,  and  dying. 

The  last  is  in  the  hands  of  God,  but  as  to  the  first  two,  I  can 
only  add.  Oh  !  that  ye  were  wise,  that  ye  understood  this  ! 

XXXIX.  It  is  not  wise  for  a  Missionary  to  engage  in  Com- 
merce, or  Manufactures,  or  Agriculture  :  it  takes  the  spirituality 
out  of  him.  Some  of  the  continental  INIissions  fall  to  the  level 
of  pious  traders  :  this  is  something  different  from  Evangelists  : 
the  Moravians  practise  it,  but  it  provides  the  only  means  of 
subsistence  of  themselves  and  their  people.  The  introduction 
of  workshops,  and  industrial  schools,  is  very  dangerous.  The 
introduction  of  new  habits,  new  kinds  of  food,  and  clothing,  not 
suited  to  the  climate,  and  habits,  is  dangerous.  Nature  has 
adapted  the  food  to  the  particular  animals :  the  Eskimo,  un- 
necessarily fed  on  coffee,  cannot  work  as  they  did  on  a  diet  of 
train  oil. 

XL.  I  picked  up  somewhere  the  needful  attributes  of  a 
Missionary  :  few  will  attain  all  : 

1.  He  must  count  the  cost,  before  he  begins  to  build. 

2.  He  must  be  a  man  of  sanctified  common  sense. 

3.  An  unworldly  spirit,  and  unselfish  aim. 

4.  Thoroughly  intent  on  his  work. 

5.  A  man  of  Peace,  with  the  Spirit  of  Peace  in  his  house, 
heart,  speech,  and  environment. 

6.  Simple  habits  and  contented  spirit- 

7.  Personal  holiness. 

8.  Inexhaustible  patience. 

9.  Unshakeable  faith. 

10.  Full  of  prayer,  and  a  reader  of  the  Bible  in  prayer. 

11.  Dauntless,  but  quiet:  courageous  in  deeds,  rather  than 
in  words. 

12.  A  sound  judgment,  a  chastened  spirit,  a  man  of  soft 
answer,  but  truthful. 

13.  Loyal  to  his  Church,  his  Society,  and  his  God. 

XLL  The  ignorant  Missionary  allows  himself  to  heap 
unlimited  abuse  on  the  sacred  books  of  other  Religions,  of  which 
he  knows  nothing:    this  is  injudicious:  the  hearers  know  well 


(    43     ) 

enough,  that  he  is  ignorant.  The  learned  Missionary  should 
avoid  the  opposite  error:  he  should  render  all  due  praise  to  the 
noble  sentiments,  and  conceptions  of  the  non-Christian  Philo- 
sopher, but  never  for  one  moment  concede,  that  he  is  inspired,  or 
divine,  or  that  his  words  are  good  for  Salvation  of  men  hereafter, 
though  good  for  morals,  and  often  elevating.  None  of  them  rise 
higher  than  Socrates.  And  he  should  be  cautious  in  selecting 
passages  of  unequal  value, ,  and  thoroughly  bad  in  morals,  from 
their  Sacred  Books  :  the  scoffer  might  retort  in  a  manner,  painful 
to  a  Christian,  by  misquoting  the  Bible. 

XLII.  Missionaries  should  decline  to  undertake  any  duty,  that 
is  not  included  in  the  words  "  carrying  the  Gospel  to  the  non- 
Christian  world " :  the  office  of  Magistrate,  Vice-Consul, 
Member  of  Local  Board,  or  anything  connected  with  the  Civil 
or  Criminal  administration  of  the  State,  should  be  refused,  if 
offered.  It  is  a  snare.  A  Missionary  writes  in  an  Annual 
Report  as  follows,  from  a  great  City  in  Upper  India: 

I  am  terribly  deep  in  Municipal  Commiltee-niatters.  I  am  going  in  especially 
for  the  conservancy  of  the  City  and  the  Water-supply. 

Imagine  St.  Paul  looking  after  the  drains  of  Corinth,  or  the 
water-supply  of  Ephesus  !  These  kinds  of  employment  must 
destroy  spirituality,  if  it  ever  existed.  So  also  a  Missionary 
should  decline  to  take  permanent  clerical  duty  among  Europeans, 
which  interferes  with  his  proper  work.  This  will  not  exclude 
occasional  services  in  the  Church,  and  visits  to  the  sick,  when 
called  upon  :  but  under  no  circumstances  should  he  take  any 
emolument.  Payments,  made  by  the  State,  should  go  to  the 
Mission-Treasury. 

XLIII.  Judging  from  the  exaggerated  statements  in  some 
reports,  the  religious  world  at  home  often  thinks,  that  the  non- 
Christian  world  is  living  in  the  practice  of  shameless  and 
abominable  sins  :  this  is  not  the  case.  Live  with  the  people  in 
the  villages  of  India,  and  you  will  find  rude  and  patriarchal 
virtues,  and  evidence  of  great  nobility  of  character,  and  kindly 
disposition,  dutiful  conduct  of  parents  to  children,  purity  of 
home  circles,  loving  meeting  of  relatives,  neighbourly  friendships, 
and  gentle  manners.  It  is  the  act  of  a  partizan,  not  of  a  faithful 
Chronicler,  to  be  so  severe  on  the  Heathen  and  Mahometan, 
and  overlook  the  sad  failings  of  an  European  population,  and 
the  avowed  vices  of  nominal  Christians.  God  has  not  left 
Himself  withotit  a  witness,  in  that  He  does  good,  and  gives 
them  rain  from  Heaven,  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  men's  hearts 
with  food  and  gladness.  Missionaries  should  abstain  from 
sweeping  assertions,  and  excessive  statements  :  it  is  enough,  that 
they  are  not  Christians,  and  must  be  made  so. 

XLIV.  There  is  no  reason  to  suppose,  that  St.  Paul  and  his 
companions  lorded  it  over  the  Heathen :  quite  the  contrary.    The 


(    44     ) 

humble  Evangelists  of  the  time  of  Augustine,  and  Columba,  and 
Boniface,  did  not  do  so.  The  Nestorians,  and  Moravians,  did 
not  do  so.  Why  should  the  Anglo-Saxon  Missionary  of  this 
Century  assert  such  an  intolerable  superiority  over  those,  whom 
he  goes  to  convert.-^  The  holiest  Missionary  is  the  humblest: 
he  works  through  others,  not  thinking  of  self,  his  own  station  in 
his  native  country,  his  acquired  knowledge,  his  natural  ability, 
his  station  in  his  Church,  but  of  the  Lord's  ivork.     He  cries  : 

Let  the  work  be  done,  even  if  I  am  driven  out,  effaced,  overlooked, 
despised. 

That  pride  of  race,  which  prompts  a  white  man  to  regard 
coloured  people  as  inferior  to  himself,  is  strongly  ingrained  in 
most  men's  minds,  and  must  be  wholly  eradicated  by  the  Grace 
of  God,  before  he  will  ever  win  the  hearts  and  souls  of  the 
Heathen.  Nothing  is  more  depressing  in  the  Reports  of 
Missionary  Societies  than  this  feature.  Every  Missionary  would 
be  better  for  a  copy  of  Thomas  k  Kempis'  "Imitation  of  Christ," 
as  his  constant  companion.  And  let  the  Parent-Committee 
avoid  being  puffed  up,  as  if  they  had  done  something  wonderful, 
as  if  their  counsels  had  secured  the  measure  of  success,  which 
had  come  to  them  from  the  Lord  only.  Above  all,  let  care  be 
taken  never  to  talk  of  a  man,  as  a  Hero,  when  living,  or  a  Saint, 
when  dead  :  he  did  his  best :  others  ivill  do  the  same :  his  place 
will  soon  be  filled  up :  the  ranks  of  the  Lord's  Army  are  always 
full.     Many  men  are  spoilt  by  inordinate  flattery. 

XLV.  The  necessity  of  Native  Teachers  is  admitted  by  all, 
but  has  not  been  recognized  by  all,  as  much  as  it  ought  to  be. 
The  black  net  to  catch  souls  must  be  let  down,  but  held  in  its 
place  by  white  corks.  Hear  what  Missionaries,  who  do  employ 
Teachers  with  marvellous  success,  write : 

The  necessity  for  careful  European  supervision  becomes  the  more  urgent,  as 
the  number  of  Natives,  who  become  teachers,  increases.  It  is  a  wonderfuj 
evidence  of  the  hold,  which  the  Gospel  takes  on  the  natures  of  these  people, 
that,  at  so  early  a  period  in  the  history  of  the  Mission,  so  many  are  found 
willing  to  be  trained,  and  fit  to  be  trained,  as  Evangelists  to  their  fellow- 
countrymen.  The  rapid  progress  of  the  Gospel  is  assured,  if  this  responsive 
spirit  continues  to  be  manifested.  •  At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  at  present,  they  are  at  best  but  young  converts  to  Christianity.  Though 
their  knowledge  of  the  truths  of  the  Gospel,  after  a  course  of  training  at  one  of 
the  Mission  Institutions,  may  be  such  as  amply  to  qualify  them  for  the  duties  of 
teachers,  strength  of  principle,  and  that  fine  Christian  spirit  which  can  discern 
and  maintain  the  right  coui'se  in  times  of  temptation  and  difficulty,  cannot  be 
acquired  with  equal  facility.  To  leave  such  men  to  stand  entirely  alone  for 
any  length  of  time  among  their  own  Heathen  countrymen,  without  the  moral 
support,  stimulus,  and  counsel  afforded  by  frequent  visits  from  a  European 
superintendent,  would  not  be  wise  or  kind. 

(See  Part  IV.  Address  II.) 

XLVL  Whatever  Anglican  Bishops,    who    live   years  in   the 


(    45     ) 

country  without  learning  to  speak  the  language,  may  think,  the 
fusion  of  the  permanent  indigenous  Eurasian,  and  Native 
populations  into  one  Church  with  the  European  birds  of  passage, 
is  not  likely  to  take  place.  The  Native  Churches,  as  they 
gradually  become  independent,  will  take  their  own  line,  and  will 
be  influenced  by  Provincial  and  Linguistic  considerations,  and 
the  European  element,  of  whatever  denomination,  will  remain 
alien  and,  if  the  British  are  driven  out  of  India,  will  cease  to 
exist,  while  by  God's  blessing  the  Native  Churches  will  abide 
for  ever. 

XLVII.  The  serious  question  must  arise,  how  a  Native  Church 
is  to  provide  itself  with  the  elements  for  the  Lord's  Supper  in 
countries,  where  neither  the  vine,  nor  corn,  which  were  the 
staples  of  life  in  Palestine,  are  forthcoming.  The  inward  and 
spiritual  Grace  should  be  the  object  of  consideration,  and  it  is 
distressing  to  read  of  the  Native  Pastor  buying  a  bottle  of  wine 
at  a  low  European  store,  especially  when  it  is  desirable  to  keep 
the  people  free  from  the  use  of  liquors,  specially  European 
liquors.  One  Missionary  Society  has  decided  as  follows.  The 
question  of  foreign  bread  and  wine  being  used  at  the  Lord's 
Supper  was  discussed,  and,  feeling  the  tendency  of  the  Natives 
to  regard  the  Sacrament  with  superstitious  feelings,  and  the 
desirability  of  keeping  it  as  simple  and  primitive  as  possible,  and 
also  of  using  elements,  that  might  be  easily  procured,  by  the 
Natives,  we  determined  to  use  the  bread  and  wi7ie  of  the  country, 
viz.  the  beautiful  yams,  and  the  cocoa-nut  milk,  which  is  more 
Scriptural  than  water,  coloured  with  a  little  wine,  and  bread  made 
from  the  dregs  of  the  Missionary's  cask :  the  object  is,  that  the 
Natives  should  find  the  elements  within  their  own  reach  for 
the  sustentation  of  Christianity. 

XLVIIL  The  Christian  village  has  its  dangers :  such  was  the 
commencement  of  Monachism  :  the  thought  was  a  good  and  pure 
one  of  isolating  those,  who  wished  to  serve  God,  from  the  evil 
around  them,  and  so  to  preserve  their  integrity :  but  the  whole 
history  of  the  Church  shows,  that  it  was  a  mistake,  and  has 
worked  evil  to  the  converts,  evil  to  the  Foreign  Missions, 
and  evil  to  the  Heathen.  The  isolation  was  so  much  Christian 
power  lost  to  the  work  of  evangelization  ;  nor  was  the  individual 
benefited  by  being  sheltered  from  the  rude  struggle,  and  tempta- 
tion and  persecution :  their  example  was  lost  to  the  Heathen, 
their  leaven  to  the  lump,  and  their  own  faith  became  less  strong, 
because  not  nerved  to  the  test.  All  who  have  seen  the  Christian 
barracks  springing  up  round  the  Mission-house,  must  admit  this  : 
let  the  converts  live  amidst  the  Heathen  and  Mahometans,  among 
them,  not  of  them  :  not  changed  in  external  habits,  but  changed 
internally.  They  should  not  be  denationalized  by  false  kindness  : 
the  living  water  of  the  Gospel  is  able  to  strengthen  the  fibre, 


(    46    ) 

and  develope  into  beauty  any  form  of  civilization,  with  which 
it  comes  into  contact :  above  all,  let  the  danger  be  avoided  of 
accustoming  races  of  lower  culture  to  the  luxuries  and  wants 
of  a  highly  civilized  life.  "  Where  is  the  sugar  ?  "  This  question, 
made  by  a  Native  convert,  is  suggestive.  I'he  British  Missionary 
on  the  march  had  produced  the  cocoa,  and  milk,  for  the  evening- 
meal,  and  was  content :  the  native  youth,  a  few  years  ago  a 
redeemed  slave,  and  before  that  a  naked  Negro,  glad  to  get  any- 
thing, or  go  without  anything,  pampered  by  contact  with  a  higher 
civilization,  asked  querulously  for  a  condiment  to  sweeten  his  cup, 
XLIX.  With  regard  to  the  status  of  Native  converts,  whose 
political  situation  is  no  way  changed  b}'  their  change  of  religion, 
let  me  quote  the  words  of  a  Chinese  Missionary : 

It  is  true  that  all  British  subjects  resident  in  China  are  required  to  obtain  an 
annual  certificate  of  registry  at  a  Consulate  by  payment  of  a  fee  to  Her  Majesty 
of  five  dollars  each,  or  one  dollar  each  for  artizans  and  labourers.  But  no 
Native  Christian  whatever  is  eligible  for  such  registry,  nor  would  the  British 
Government  on  any  pretext  whatever  admit  the  claim  of  a  Native  Cliristian  to  be 
regarded  as  othenuise  than  a  subject  of  the  Chinese  Empire. 

In  cases  of  actual  persecution  the  British  Minister  has  on  certain  occasions 
interposed,  basing  his  remonstrances,  not  on  the  ex-territoriality  of  the  victims 
of  persecution,  but  on  the  Treaty-stipulations  with  regard  to  liberty  of  conscience. 
The  same  remark  applies  to  the  American  representative. 

With  regard  to  the  French  and  Russian  Ministers,  I  cannot  speak  with 
certainty  ;  but  my  impression  is,  that  although  they  are  possibly  more  ready  to 
intervene  on  behalf  of  converts  than  are  the  British  and  American  Ambassadors, 
they  make  no  pretence  to  exert  anything  but  a  benevolent  influence  in  favour  of 
Toleration,  relying  upon  Treaty-stipulations. 

(See  Part  III.  Essay  V.) 

L.  Hear  the  advice  of  a  Missionary  Bishop  to  his  subordinates: 

Avoid  all  reasonable  ground  of  offience.  Be  not  proud,  and  self-reliant,  but 
be  ready  to  suffer  wrong  rather  than  exact  your  extreme  rights.  Follow,  as 
far  as  you  can,  the  customs  of  the  place  and  people.  Quarrel  with  no  one, 
however  much  provoked.  Treat  no  one  with  contempt.  Never  use  violence, 
or  hard  language.  Seek  to  do,  as  Christ  would  have  done  in  your  place.  Try 
to  understand  the  thoughts  and  difficulties  of  the  people  you  live  amongst.  Put 
your  message  into  such  words,  and  deliver  it  in  such  a  manner,  as  will  be  most 
acceptable  and  intelligent. 

Do  not  grow  weary  in  well-doing.  God  is  with  you.  Though  you  may  see 
no  result,  your  labour  is  not  in  vain.  If  you  are  in  danger  from  war  or 
tumult,  do  not  be  in  a  hurry  to  escape ;  if  your  people  stay,  it  will  be  best  for 
you  to  stay  with  them.  Even  in  the  extremest  danger  God  can  save  you.  If 
you  are  in  danger  on  account  of  your  Religion,  do  not  shrink  from  meeting  it : 
took  upon  it  as  a  special  honour :  in  any  case,  whether  from  disease  or  violence, 
do  not  fear  Death,  for  what  men  call  Death  is  really  the  gate  of  peace  and  joy 
to  all  true  Christians. 

LI.  Let  the  Missionary  reflect,  that  the  Education,  rather  than 
Instruction,  given  in  a  Mission-school,  however  humble,  cannot 
be  without  elTect :  the  very  employment  in  building  a  wall, 
straight  by  line,  in  being  paid  a  day's  wage,  in  being  kindly 


(     47     ) 

spoken  to,  in  not  being  kicked  or  abused :  this  is  a  good  day's 
Education.  Tlie  sigl:itof  a  cart,  a  wheelbarrow,  and  draught-cattle, 
elevates  the  African's  idea,  and  differentiates  him  from  a  beast 
of  burden,  which  he  deemed  himself  to  be  before.  No  boy  or 
girl  can  have  passed  months  and  years  in  a  Christian  School 
without  a  conscience,  or  heart-voice,  being  evoked :  they  are 
gradually  enlightened,  their  dormant  faculties  evoked :  new 
habits  formed,  and  a  certain  amount  of  decency  of  speech  and 
conduct  is  cultivated :  that  Pudor,  and  Reverentia,  which  every 
Schoolboy  feels  to  each  other,  and  his  teachei".  It  is  impossible 
for  a  boy  or  girl  to  forget  their  training  at  the  most  impressible 
period  of  their  lives,  and  return  to  their  old  sensations  of  being 
like  an  oyster  on  a  rock,  or  a  reptile  in  a  hole.  This  is  not 
Christianity  in  its  dogmatic  sense,  for  Heathen  and  Mahometan 
share  it,  but  it  is  the  first  dawn  in  the  mind  of  a  young  Barbarian 
of  Order,  Duty,  Emulation,  Desire  of  Praise,  Honest  Pride, 
Personal  Dignity,  and  love  and  devotion  to  the  Teacher,  who  has 
worked  this  marvellous  change,  and  this  leads  on  to  Christ. 

LH.  I  read  with  astonishment  in  the  life  of  a  Missionary, 
that  before  he  started  he  took  instructions  in  musquetry,  which 
enabled  him  to  show  his  men  how  to  clean  guns,  and  put  locks 
together ;  and  of  another  IMissionary,  that  he  discharged  his  gun 
into  a  crowd,  sending  no  doubt  one  or  two  with  lead  in  their 
bodies  to  their  homes,  or  their  death.  Such  statements  should 
not  be  published,  and  such  acts  should  not  be  done. 

LHI.  The  following  is  a  Bishop's  advice: 

Each  Missionary  should  pray  for  mutual  love  and  concord  among  themselves, 
that  they  may  learn  to  think  more  of  the  graces  and  virtues  of  their  fellow- 
workers,  than  of  their  defects  :  that  they  may  never  intrude  their  own  opinions 
and  practices  into  the  works  of  another :  that  they  be  very  slow  to  take  offence, 
and  always  answer  unkindliness,  and  injustice,  by  special  kindliness,  and  un- 
usual acts  of  self-denial  and  sulf-forgetfulness,  that  they  may  all  be  helpful  one 
to  another,  and  with  or  without  them  God  may  be  glorified. 

Laymen  in  Committee  look  with  astonishment  on  the  quarrels, 
and  the  consequence  of  quarrels,  of  ordained  IMissionaries. 
Every  one  in  official  life  knows,  how  often  he  is  yoked  with  an 
uncongenial  fellow-labourer,  and  yet  he  gets  on  by  mutual  con- 
cession, and  the  Government,  which  he  serves,  would  not  think 
w-ell  of  him,  if  he  complained.  As  to  asking,  that  a  colleague 
might  be  removed,  so  as  to  make  oneself  more  comfortable,  I 
never  heard  of  such  a  thing :  when  this  state  of  affairs  inci- 
dentally transpires,  a  move  is  often  made  so  as  to  oil  the 
working  of  the  official  machine  :  but  Missionaries  selfishly  ask 
for  men  to  be  removed,  regardless  of  the  deep  injury  done  to  the 
man  removed,  the  serious  expense  to  the  Parent-Society,  the 
injury  to  the  work  of  the  Mission,  and  the  entire  discredit, 
which  must  attach  ever  after  to  the  judgment  of  the  applicant. 


(     48     ) 

LIV.  A  Missionary  need  not  be  cast  down,  if  he  finds,  that 
the  great  Grace  of  power  to  help  forward  the  conversion  of 
individual  souls  has  not  been  given  to  him :  or  rather  that 
he  thinks,  that  it  has  not  been  so  in  the  way  expected  by 
himself:  great  Missionaries  have  been  aware  of  this  gift  being 
denied  to  them,  and 

Humbly  admitted,  that  they  thought  that  they  had  not  the  power  of  bringing 
souls  one  after  another  to  Christ,  of  showing  them  their  sins,  of  breaking  down 
the  barriers,  that  gird  the  heart  against  all  religious  influences,  and  of  creating 
in  them  a  sense  of  their  true  need. 

Perhaps  they  may  have  failed  in  words,  but  the  attracting  and 
converting  light  shone  out  of  their  deeds,  the  expression  of  their 
countenance,  the  vision  of  their  lives :  there  are  diversities  of 
gifts,  but  the  same  spirit.  Of  the  Missionary  who  uttered  the 
above  holy  and  humble  opinion  of  himself,  the  natives  of  the 
country,  among  whom  he  laboured,  had  formed  another  estimate, 
and  described  him  as  the  7iian,  who  prayed  for  the  African,  and  tried 
in  every  way  to  do  them  good :  of  another  Missionary  his  people 
still  speak  tenderly,  as  the  man  who,  after  Christ's  example,  ditd 
for  us,  black  fellows  I    With  this  remark  my  Notes  end. 

Mav  the  Lord  bless  them  to  the  hearts  of  the  readers  !  . 


0otts  on  S^iSBiomv^  S)Ubjects* 


paw  E. 

E'SSAV   11. 


LANGUAGE      ILLUSTRATED      BY 
BIBLE      TRANSLATION. 


CHAP.  I.  ORIGIN,   OBJECT,   AND   METHODS   OF   THE   SOCIETIES. 

CHAP.  II.   DESCRIPTION   OF   THE   LANGUAGES. CHAP.  III. 

RESULTS   AND   SUGGESTIONS. APPENDIX.   A.  TABLE  OF 

LANGUAGES. B.  MAP  OF  THE  WORLD. 


SECOND     AND     ENLARGED     EDITION, 


The  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Word  of  God. — Ephcsiatis  vi.  17. 

The  Word  of  God,  which  liveth  and  abideth  for  ever. — i  Peter  i.  23. 

And  I  saw  another  Angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  Heaven,  having  the  Everlasting 
Gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  upon  the  Earth,  and  to  every 
Nation,  and  Kindred,  and  Tongue,  and  People. — Revelation  xiv.  6. 


TO   MY  DEAR  FRIENDS  AND  COLLEAGUES 


COMMITTEE    OF    THE    BRITISH    AND    FOREIGN    BIBLE    SOCIETY, 


BY   THE   AUTHOR, 


WHO    HAS    ONLY    ONE    GREATER    DELIGHT    THAN    THE    STUDY 


OF  LANGUAGE,  AND  THAT  DELIGHT  IS  THE  STUDY   OF 


THE  LAW  OF  THE   LORD, 


AND  IN  THESE   PAGES   BOTH  STUDIES  AND   BOTH   DELIGHTS 


ARE   UNITED. 


London,  July,   1886, 
AND  July,  1888. 


PREFACE. 


The  favourable  reception,  with  which  my  first  Edition  has  been 
received,  has  induced  me  to  revise  and  enlarge  the  work.  The 
object  is,  to  interest  people  in  the  Work  of  Bible-Societies. 
The  Annual  Reports  are  too  full  of  business-details,  and  pre- 
suppose a  great  knowledge  of  previous  Reports,  and  no  one 
Report  treats  the  whole  subject :  of  course,  criticism,  and 
suggestions,  would  be  out  of  place  in  the  official  Statement  of 
a  year's  work  of  a  Society,  and  both  are  required.  I  have 
treated  the  subject  as  a  whole,  without  reference  to  particular 
Societies,  and  I  particularly  repeat  to  Bible-Societies  the 
warning,  which  I  have  impressed  on  IMissionary-Societies  : 
"  Beware  of  setting  up  your  own  Society  in  the  place  of  Christ, 
"  and  doing  worship  and  sacrifice  to  your  own  net,  and  bringing 
"  incense  to  your  own  drag." 

And  let  reality  be  given  to  the  Report,  and  Catalogue  of 
Languages,  by  careful  attention  to  Geography,  and  Linguistic 
Knowledge  :  it  is  clear  from  some  of  the  early  Reports,  that  the 
Compilers  threw  together  names,  and  places,  which  they  knew 
nothing  about,  and  had  never  taken  the  trouble  to  place  the  facts, 
brought  to  their  notice  by  their  different  Agents,  often  very  in- 
experienced men,  into  the  crucible  of  accurate  Science  :  why 
should  a  Language  be  still  called  Karass-Turki,  because  the 
translators  were  Scotch  Missionaries,  who,  years  ago,  dwelt  at 
that  obscure  town  ? 

Consider  then  the  Orthography  of  the  names :  no  one 
principle  of  transliteration  was  adopted,  and  even  now  there 
remains  much  to  be  desired,  though  many  changes  suggested  by 
me  have  gradually,  year  by  year,  been  adopted  by  the  British 


(     viii     ) 

and  Foreign  Bible-Society.  By  the  extraordinary  practice  of 
fastening  on  Anglo-Saxon  suffixes  to  the  names  of  Islands  in  the 
South  Seas,  or  tribes  in  Africa,  the  real  name  often  became 
thoroughly  disguised.  There  cannot  be  a  more  universal  rule, 
than  that  no  suffix  or  prefix  should  be  attached  to  a  foreign  name, 
unless  that  suffix  be  according  to  the  grammatical  rules  of  that 
particular  language  :  thus,  Bangali,  Kashmiri,  are  correct,  but 
what  of  Java-nese,  Japan-ese,  Assam-ese,  Tibet-an,  Korea-n  ? 
Then,  again,  some  writers  persist  in  prefixing  a  Ki,  or  a  Chi,  or 
a  Ba,  or  a  Wa,  to  some  South  African  languages,  though  they 
allow  Zulu,  and  Yao,  and  Bondei,  to  go  unencumbered. 

Confessedly  a  great  deal  more  has  to  be  done  even  to  ascertain 
what  work  remains  to  be  done.  Prince  Louis-Lucien  Bonaparte 
has  cleared  up  the  mutual  relations  of  the  Finn  Branch  of  the 
Ural-Altaic  Family  :  it  is  to  be  hoped,  that  the  Russian  scholars 
of  the  University  of  Kazan  on  the  Volga  will  clear  up  the 
difficulties  of  the  Turki  Branch,  as,  in  fact,  the  whole  of  that 
Family,  with  the  exception  of  the  Osmanli,  and  the  variety 
spoken  at  Yarkand  in  Chinese  Tartary,  has  passed  under  Russian 
domination.  I  am  myself  proceeding  this  Autumn  to  Kazan  and 
Orenberg,  to  make  local  inquiries,  and  consult  experts  on  the 
spot.  It  is  a  remarkable  incidental  advantage  of  Bible- 
translation,  that  it  places  beyond  doubt  what  the  language  of 
a  particular  tribe  is,  as  they  would  not  buy  books,  which  they 
could  not  understand. 

Eastbourne,  August  24,  1888. 


(     49     ) 


IL 

LANGUAGE,   AS    ILLUSTRATED   BY 
BIBLE-TRANSLATION. 

Chapter    I. — Origin,    Object,   and   Methods   of  the 
Societies. 

A  DAINTY  little  volume  is  on  my  table,  called  "The  Gospel  in 
Many  Tongues,"  published  by  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  London,  1888.  It  exhibits  one  verse  of  the  New 
Testament  in  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  Languages,  or 
special  Written-Characters.  This  is  no  ingenious  tour  de  force  to 
exhibit  the  intelligence  or  industry  of  one  or  more  scholars  :  the 
verse  selected  is  part  of  a  portion  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  or  of 
the  whole,  which  has  been  published  at  the  expense  of  certain 
Religious  Associations  for  actual  use  by  Christian  Churches, 
scattered  all  over  the  world.  I  purpose  in  the  following  pages 
to  show,  how  the  study  of  Language  has  been  advanced  to  an 
extraordinary  degree  by  the  impetus  given  by  Religion  to  the 
translation  of  one  Book.  The  phenomenon  is  perfectly  unique, 
and  is  the  more  remarkable,  as  the  number  of  translations  goes 
on  increasing  every  year,  a  score  or  more  being  always  on  the 
anvil.  No  book  has  ever  been  multiplied  to  this  extent,  as  the 
issue  of  these  translations  counts  by  hundreds  of  thousands,  and 
even  millions.  The  published  accounts  show  that,  although  the 
book  is  sold  below  cost  price,  an  income  of  more  than  one 
hundred  thousand  pounds  is  annually  received  from  the  sale. 
The  books,  that  approach  nearest  in  circulation  and  number  of 
translations,  are  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  the  Imitation  of  Jesus 
Christ,  by  Thomas  k  Kempis,  and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
which  derive  their  whole  attraction  from  the  Bible,  as  they  follow 
it  both  in  letter  and  spirit. 

I    propose    to   treat   the  subject   chiefly  from  the   scientific, 
intellectual,  and  secular,  point  of  view,  and  it  is  a  very  interesting 


(    50    ) 

one,  illustrating,  how  much  Science  is  advanced  by  the  Religious 
Instinct  of  a  Nation ;  for,  although  Language  alone  is  alluded 
to  in  this  Essay,  still  it  could  be  shown,  that  other  branches  of 
Science,  such  as  Geography,  Ethnology,  and  even  Commerce, 
have  been  advanced  by  the  same  impulse. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  the  Bible  was  available 
in  about  thirty  Languages  ;  first  in  order  were  the  two  original 
Books,  and  next  to  them  came  the  Greek  of  the  Septuagint, 
which  was  honoured  by  being  textually  quoted  by  inspired 
writers,  and  those  quotations  thus  have  the  force  and  sanction 
of  inspiration,  and  the  early  translations  into  Syriac,  Koptic, 
Ethiopic,  Armenian,  Georgian,  and  Latin.  As  time  went  on, 
translations  came  into  existence  in  all  the  chief  languages  of 
Europe,  a  few  in  the  adjacent  Provinces  of  Asia  and  Africa,  and 
fewer  still  in  the  countries  beyond,  and  so  it  would  have  remained, 
had  it  not  been,  that  a  wave  of  Missionary  Spirit  at  the  begin- 
ning of  this  century  passed  over  some  of  the  Protestant  Nations, 
making  them  feel,  that  it  wastheir  duty  to  evangelize  the  Heathen, 
and  the  Mahometan.  This  at  once  provoked  the  establishment 
of  special  agencies  to  supply  the  Word  of  God  in  the  vulgar 
tongue  of  every  Nation  and  Tribe,  which  was  brought  under  the 
new  influence.  This  is  one  of  the  essential  differences  betwixt 
a  Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic  Church  :  the  former  desires  to 
place  the  Word  of  God  in  the  cheapest  possible  form  in  the 
hands  of  every  man,  woman,  or  child,  who  can  read,  or  com- 
prehend words  read  by  another :  the  latter  has  been  known  to 
spend  large  sums  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  the  Word  of  God 
reaching  the  masses,  and  would  destroy  with  ignominy  every  copy, 
on  which  it  could  lay  hold.  This  assertion  is  based  on  the  facts 
ascertained  in  every  country,  where  the  Roman  Catholic  Priest- 
hood still  retains  influence.  The  Greek,  the  Armenian,  and  the 
other  Ancient  Churches,  have  no  objection  to  the  distribution  of 
the  Scriptures ;  the  Heathen  receive  them  with  alacrity,  and  the 
Mahometan  with  respect. 

Of  the  thirty  versions  available,  it  cannot  be  stated,  that  any 
one  of  them,  with  the  exception  of  course  of  the  Inspired  Hebrew 
text  of  the  Old  Testament  and  the  Inspired  Greek  text  of  the 
New  Testament,  and  the  Septuagint,  were  final.  Of  the  remain- 
der several  have  been  left  high  and  dry  by  the  retreat  of  the 
linguistic  tide,  and  are  Literary  curiosities,  being  obsolete,  such 
as  the  Mceso-Gothic  of  Ulfilas,  and  the  Anglo-Saxon  of  Bede  : 
several  have  crystallized  into  a  liturgical  medium  of  vocables, 
incomprehensible  to  the  vulgar,  such  as  the  Latin,  the  Old- 
Slavonic,  and  the  Koptic  :  several  have  been  replaced  by  entirely 
new  versions,  made  from  the  original  Hebrew  and  Greek, 
whereas  the  superseded  versions  had  been  made  from  the 
Septuagint,  or  the  Vulgate.     Other  versions  have  been  under- 


(     51     ) 

going  constant  revision,  the  best  proof  of  which  is,  that  the 
English,  German,  Spanish,  and  French,  versions  are  undergoing 
the  process  at  this  moment,  and  no  finality  seems  near  at  hand. 

But  even,  supposing  that  the  Versions  had  been  finally  settled, 
or  were,  like  the  Hebrew  and  Greek,  immutable,  the  cost  of  a 
copy  was  such,  as  to  place  its  possession  out  of  the  power  of  the 
poor.  The  Family-Bible  of  those  days  meant  the  only  copy  in 
the  house,  or  of  the  village;  or  the  town.  The  idea  of  every 
individual  child  possessing  a  portion  of  the  Bible,  and  carrying 
it  about  upon  his  or  her  person,  was  not  conceivable.  Nor  were 
there  any  arrangements  for  distributing  the  precious  book  even 
in  Protestant  countries  like  Great  Britain,  and  how  much  less  in 
Roman  Catholic  countries  1  As  to  distribution  in  Heathen  or 
Mahometan  countries,  it  seemed  to  pious  and  good  men  a  dream 
of  Utopia. 

It  was  under  such  circumstances,  with  such  an  environment, 
that  the  idea  of  a  Bible-Society  came  into  existence,  for  the 
.  purpose  of  multiplying  correct  versions,  publishing  them  cheaply 
in  enormous  numbers,  and  distributing  them  at  something  below 
cost  price  in  towns,  villages,  houses,  huts,  in  encampments,  tents, 
and  caravanserais,  laden  on  ships,  boats,  camels,  waggons,  or 
packs,  all  over  the  Globe.  As  was  to  be  expected,  the  hand  of 
God  worked  through  the  weakest  and  humblest  of  His  creatures 
to  start  the  colossal  movement,  that  was  destined  to  shake  the 
world.  The  story  of  the  little  Welsh  girl,  Mary  Jones,  is  given 
in  a  volume  of  its  own.  The  result  was,  that  Mr.  Charles,  a 
Welsh  Minister,  proceeded  to  London,  and  in  an  assembly  of 
friends  suggested  the  establishment  of  an  Association  to  supply 
Welsh  Bibles  :  but,  when  the  subject  was  discussed,  it  occurred 
to  them:  "  If  for  Wales,  why  not  also  for  Great  Britain  and  the 
World  ?"  In  those  days  people  had  the  strength  of  their 
convictions,  and  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  was 
established  in  January,  1804.  From  its  loins  have  sprung  every 
other  Society,  that  exclusively  sells  Bibles. 

The  founders  invoked  the  aid  of  Christians  of  every  denomina- 
tion and  every  country :  there  was  limit  neither  to  their  enter- 
prize,  nor  their  charit3^  One  of  their  first  Committees  was  for 
the  purpose  of  conveying  the  Bible  to  the  then  unknown 
kingdom  of  China :  as  a  fact  their  first  published  translation 
was  for  the  use  of  the  Mohawk  in  North  America.  The  divine 
afflatus  spread  like  wildfire  over  Europe,  and  North  America  :  the 
idea,  the  principle,  the  constitution,  of  the  Society  met  the 
approbation  of  all,  and  in  a  few  years  the  Parent-Society, 
endowed  with  ample  resources,  stood  in  the  centre  of  a  great 
Bible-system,  which  encompassed,  as  with  a  network,  nearly  the 
whole  Globe.  Emperors,  and  Queens,  were  the  Nursing  Fathers 
and  Nursing  ^Mothers.      Heads  of  great  Churches,  who  agreed 


(       52       ) 

in  nothing  else,  welcomed  this  new  ally.  Popes,  and  Cardinals, 
and  Metropolitans,  blessed  the  Society  by  their  Anathemas  and 
Pastorals,  advertising  and  attesting  the  value  of  the  Book,  the 
contents  of  which  they  feared.  As  the  followers  of  the  new 
Sect  were  first  called  Christians  at  Antioch,  so  in  Roman 
Catholic  publications  the  term  "  Soci(it6  Biblique"  is  applied 
to  all  Protestant  Missionary  Societies,  as  a  term  of  reproach, 
though  really  the  title  of  the  highest  honour.  The  practice  of 
course  ditfers  in  different  countries  at  different  times.  In  Great 
Britain  an  educated  Roman  Catholic  will  assure  you,  that  he  is 
at  liberty  to  read  the  Bible,  and  does  do  so.  In  France  large 
editions  have  been  sold  under  the  authority  of  the  Bishops.  In 
Austria  and  Spain  the  ignorant  Priests  encourage  an  ignorant 
and  unlettered  people  to  destroy  the  Bible.  As  Education 
advances,  and  Civil  Liberty,  the  power  of  the  Priest,  which  is 
based  on  Ignorance  and  Tyranny,  is  diminished.  Italy  is  in  a 
transition-state.  It  has  Civil  Liberty,  but  is  only  just  emerging 
from  ignorance.     I  quote  the  following : 

The  attitude  of  the  Italian  priesthood  towards  the  propagation  of  vernacular 
editions  of  the  Bible  is  entirely  intelligible.  To  accuse  them  of  desiring  in 
these  days  to  withhold  Scriptural  knowledge  from  the  people  would  be  a 
calumny.  They  are  anxious,  that  Italians  of  all  classes  should  learn  the  truths 
the  Bible  contains.  But  they  greatly  prefer,  that  the  people  should  imbibe 
them  at  second  hand  through  their  pastors'  hands.  In  the  form  and  order,  and 
with  the  interpretation  they  append,  the  priests  sincerely  believe,  that  Biblical 
truth  keeps  all  its  intrinsic  value  without  the  danger  of  radical  perversion. 
From  the  purest  as  well  as  selfish  motives  they  seek  to  retain  the  direct  custody 
of  the  muniments  of  the  faith.  Their  rulers  have  long  ceased  to  forbid  dog- 
matically the  reading  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  vulgar  tongue,  if  they  ever 
authoritatively  prohibited  it.  The  hierarchy  probably  could  offer  proofs  that, 
with  their  full  sanction,  many  obedient  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Church 
openly  possess,  and  use  Italian  versions.  With  all  this  it  cannot  be  doubted, 
and  they  would  hardly  deny,  that  their  influence  is  employed  against  the 
common  circulation  of  the  Bible,  aud  for  the  check  of  its  study  by  the  laity, 
unless  under  the  immediate  and  constant  guidance  of  a  priest.  Their  inclina- 
tion in  this  way  could  not  have  continued  to  exert  itself  effectually,  if  national 
education  had  not  been  miserably  neglected.  The  Italian  masses,  if  they  had 
read  at  all,  could  not  have  been  excluded,  as  virtually  they  have  been,  from 
acquaintance  with  the  book,  on  which  the  religion  they  still  profess  rests. 

Difierences  arose  both  inside  and  outside  of  the  new  Society, 
but  they  only  worked  to  the  expansion  of  the  Agencies  :  this 
was  a  business,  in  which  Rivalry  was  welcomed  in  the  form  of 
Sister- Societies,  and  affiliated  Associations.  God  overruled  all 
the  diiferences  about  the  publication  of  the  Apocrypha,  the  use 
of  the  Vulgate  Versions,  and  the  employment  of  the  word 
"  Baptism,"  to  His  own  greater  glory.  The  Churches  on  the 
Continent  seemed  to  be  waiting  the  arrival  of  the  emissaries  of 
the  Bible  Society,  ready  to  form  themselves  into  new  groups,  and 
take  up  the  work.  The  destitution  of  the  Christian  Church  then 
became  apparent.      Many  persons  advanced  in  life  had  never 


(     53     ) 

seen  the  Bible.  Large  Editions  in  some  of  the  languages  of 
Europe  were  sold  off  in  a  few  days :  in  the  first  excitement  the 
Roman  Catholic  Priests  bought  as  freely  as  Protestants,  and 
aided  the  circulation.  Men  seemed  to  spring  up,  as  it  were,  pre- 
destined for  the  work,  to  travel  over  Europe,  and  form  new 
Associations,  and  arrange  for  new  translations.  Dr.  Pinkerton 
had  been  expelled  from  a  Mission  in  a  quiet  corner  of  Russia. 
Messrs.  Henderson  and  Patterson  could  not  find  a  door  open  to 
them  in  India.  The  policy  of  the  Governments  of  Russia  and 
India,  which  set  those  three  great  men  free  to  do  the  marvellous 
work,  which  they  accomplished,  was  overruled  to  the  Glory  of 
God.  Scholars  in  Universities  discovered  old  Manuscripts  in 
Libraries,  men  of  business  and  enterprize  came  forward  made 
for  the  work :  ample  funds,  wise  and  sober  management  of  the 
Parent-Committee,  earnest  and  intelligent  co-operation  on  the 
part  of  the  Local  Associations,  were  the  features,  which  marked 
the  first  fifty  years.  In  1853,  at  its  Jubilee,  the  Society  stood 
surrounded  by  8000  associations,  and  since  then  it  has  gone  on 
conquering  and  to  conquer. 

The  following  separate  organizations  now  exist,  but  they  all 
sprang  from  the  same  seed-plot. 

I.  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  London. 
II.  National  Bible  Society  of  Scotland,  Edinburgh. 

III.  American  Bible  Society,  New  York. 

IV.  Baptist  Bible-Translation  Society,  London. 
V.  Netherlands  Bible  Society,  Amsterdam. 

These  are  of  the  first  class  in  the  extent  and  importance  of 
their  past  and  present  operations,  and  to  them  must  be  added 
the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  which  came 
into  existence  more  than  a  century  earlier,  but  never  threw  its 
energies  fully  and  solely  into  Bible  work,  and  has  no  agency  for 
foreign  distribution,  which  is  one  of  the  essential  features  of  the 
true  Bible  Society.  In  the  second  rank  of  Associations,  occupied 
chiefly  in  home-work,  are  nearly  sixty  minor  Associations  in 
Europe  and  North  America :  they  have  more  the  character  of 
Bible-Clubs,  to  supply  their  own  Churches,  than  IMissionary 
Bible-Societies. 

In  reading  the  Annals  of  the  great  Society,  and  in  considering 
the  vain  opposition  once  off'ered  by  ill-advised  Sovereigns,  and 
misguided  Priests,  the  first  two  verses  of  the  second  Psalm  come 
spontaneously  to  our  recollection.  India  once  excluded  the 
Bible,  and  we  must  pardon  the  cautious  Statesmanship  of  that 
early  period,  when  the  East  India  Company  hardly  realized  the 
grand  Empire,  which  had  fallen  under  its  rule,  and  had  not 
learnt  the  Art  of  Rule :  the  Bible  is  now  distributed  in  that 
country  in  annual  thousands  in  more  than  a  dozen  languages. 
Russia   has  varied   her   policy,  but  on   the  whole  has    been   a 


(     54     ) 

steady  friend.  France  is  so  saturated  with  Bibles,  that  the 
Roman  Catholic  Bishops  petitioned  the  Pope  to  allow  them  to 
publish  their  own  Edition  in  French,  and  their  translation  is  a 
good  one,  but  high-priced ;  but  has  been  since  placed  on  the  Index 
by  a  retrograde  policy  in  the  Vatican.  The  Priests  have  been 
constrained  to  follow  the  same  policy  in  the  Arabic-speaking 
countries,  and  their  Arabic  Edition  published  at  Beirut  is  an 
excellent  one.  While  Pope  Pius  IX.  was  expelled  from  Rome 
in  1848,  an  Edition  of  the  Bible  in  Italian  was  published  in  the 
Eternal  City,  the  unsold  copies  of  which  His  Holiness  burnt  on 
his  return  the  following  year;  but  he  lived  to  see  depots  of  the 
Bible  Society  opened  under  his  windows  in  the  Vatican,  and 
under  the  shadow  of  the  Propaganda,  and  Colporteurs  hawking 
the  Scriptures  in  every  town  in  Italy.  In  1888  a  popular  edition 
of  the  Bible  in  Italian,  with  notes  and  illustrations,  is  published 
in  halfpenny  numbers  by  a  well-known  Liberal  Journal  at  INIilan. 
In  Africa  and  Oceania  Savages  and  Cannibals  have  found  them- 
selves in  a  few  years  transformed  into  translators,  type-setters, 
proof-readers,  and  Sunday  School-teachers.  By  the  marvellous 
influence  of  this  one  Book,  barbarous  tribes  have  passed  in  one 
generation  through  the  curriculum,  which  it  took  Europe 
centuries  to  traverse ;  they  have  found  ready-made  for  them, 
the  outcome  of  the  slow  growth  of  ages,  the  Alphabet,  the  Pen, 
the  Printing  Press,  the  material  for  letters  and  books,  and  the 
School.     Minerva  has  appeared  to  them  at  once  fully  armed. 

Science  is  the  object  of  this  paper,  and  to  that  I  try  to  restrict 
myself,  but  with  difficulty,  as  I  feel  carried  away  by  the  grandeur 
of  my  subject.  Incidental  notice  must  be  made,  with  a  feeling 
of  thanksgiving,  of  the  many  dying  beds,  which  have  been 
comforted,  the  many  inmates  of  prisons  and  hospitals,  who  have 
been  blessed,  the  many  sinners,  who  have  been  converted  ;  for 
the  Bible  is  a  sharp  two-edged  sword,  able  to  do  its  own  work 
without  the  aid  of  man's  interpretation,  and  there  are  innumer- 
able instances,  that  it  has  done  so. 

I  give  some  instances  : 

A  native  Missionary,  connected  with  the  Calcutta  Mission,  recently  paid  a 
visit  to  Joynagar,  a  town  distant  about  sixteen  miles.  While  there  he  found 
a  band  of  young  men,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  meeting  together  to  study  the 
Bible.  They  number  about  a  dozen,  and  assemble  regularly  every  Sunday  to 
Avorship  God,  and  to  read  the  Scriptures,  and  that  in  a  most  public  manner  in 
the  sight  of  their  Heathen  neighbours,  a  mark  of  unusual  moral  courage. 
When  the  Missionary  reached  Joynagar,  some  of  these  young  men  came  to 
him,  begging  him  to  come  and  jareacli  to  them,  which  he  did  with  evident 
delight.  No  sooner  was  one  sermon  finislied  than  they  asked  him  for  another. 
The  leader  of  the  movement  was  a  candidate  for  baptism  in  Calcutta  some 
three  years  ago,  and  what  he  then  learned  has  sunk  into  his  iieart,  and 
prompted  him  to  read  God's  Word  himself,  and  also  to  try  and  induce  others 
to  do  the  same. 

A  Merchant  on  his  travels  put  up  in  a  village,  and  at   parting   gave  the 


(     55     ) 

villagers  some  clothes,  of  which  he  had  no  need :  in  the  pockets  there  was  a 
single  Gospel,  and  some  tracts  :  they  were  read  :  the  SjMrit  of  the  Lord  worked 
through  them  with  sucli  force,  that  the  readers  were  converted,  and  got  rid  of 
their  idols.  The  truth  of  this  wonderful  case  was  carefully  investigated,  and  is 
recorded  by  Sir  Bartle  Frere  in  a  volume  on  Indian  Missions. 

When  the  work  of  editing  old  translations,  and  preparing 
new  ones,  was  commenced  in  earnest,  linguistic  secrets  were 
revealed,  of  which  our  fathers  never  dreamt.  In  their  easy- 
going way  they  imagined,  that  the  people.of  China  all  spoke  one 
language,  and  the  people  of  India  another,  and  that  Arabic  was 
intelligible  over  the  best  part  of  Africa.  As  to  the  people  of 
Oceania  and  America,  they  hardly  gave  them  credit  for  the 
power  of  emitting  articulate  sounds,  fondly  believing,  that  they 
transacted  their  affairs  by  the  help  of  symbols,  whistles,  clicks, 
grunts,  and  gestures.  In  Europe  they  little  knew  of  the  tangled 
network  of  mutually  unintelligible  dialects,  of  sister-languages, 
of  different  written  characters,  misapplied  in  a  strange  way, 
such  as  the  Turkish  written  in  Greek  characters,  and  Slavonic 
languages  in  Roman  characters :  they  knew  nothing  of  such 
composite  jargons  as  Judseo-German,  and  Judseo-Spanish  ;  of  the 
three  dialects  of  the  Basque,  of  the  dialects  of  the  Engadine, 
of  the  triple  variety  of  the  Lapp  language':  as  to  the  hundreds 
of  languages  in  Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  Oceania,  they  had 
not  the  least  conception,  nor  would  they  probably  ever  have  had 
any  but  for  the  necessity  imposed  upon  the  Christian  to  present 
the  Word  of  God  to  every  Nation  under  the  Sun  in  their  vulgar 
tongue.  No  one,  who  has  carefully  region  by  region  surveyed 
the  different  Continents,  and  gauged  the  existing  knowledge, 
however  imperfect,  of  the  forms  of  speech  used  by  the  human 
race,  can  hesitate,  if  he  has  the  feeling  of  gratitude  existing  in 
his  nature,  to  render  cordial  thanks  to  those  great  Protestant 
Religious  Societies,  which  have  produced  the  translations,  and 
the  Bible-Societies,  which  have'published  them. 

The  basis  of  the  translation  was  fixed  on  the  Hebrew  text  for 
the  Old  Testament,  and  the  Greek  text  for  the  New,  and  the 
translations  were  restricted  to  the  well-known  "  Textus  Receptus  " 
in  both  cases.  This  excluded  the  Apocrypha,  the  Septuagint, 
and  the  Vulgate.  By  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  were  the  subject- 
matter  of  the  Society's  operations,  was  meant  the  Inspired  Word 
of  God,  which  could  not  be  asserted  with  regard  to  the  Apocrypha. 
The  Septuagint,  though  honoured  by  being  textually  quoted  in 
the  New  Testament,  differs  materially  in  many  respects  from  the 
Hebrew  Text,  which  latter  was  necessarily  preferred  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  the  former.  By  parity  of  reason  there  was  no  place 
for  the  Vulgate.  No  doubt  many  early  translators,  being  ignorant 
of  Hebrew  and  Greek,  made  their  translations  from  Vernaculars 
in  existence  ;  but  these  have  been,  or  will  be,  superseded  in  the 


(     56    ) 

course  of  Revision.  As  regards  the  New  Testament,  since  the 
publication  of  the  Text  followed  by  the  late  Company  of  Revisers, 
a  certain  latitude  as  to  the  use  of  either  that,  or  the  Textus 
Receptus,  has  been  permitted.  Had  permission  been  given,  or 
the  licence  been  tolerated,  of  the  translator  going  behind  the 
Received  Texts,  and  forming  his  own  basis  of  translation,  the 
wildest  confusion  would  have  followed. 

Who  were  the  translators  ?  No  University,  no  State-Depart- 
ment, no  Learned  Society,  could  have  supplied  men,  willing  to 
conduct  such  operations,  or  capable  of  doing  so.  It  was  not 
abstract  knowledge  heaped  up  in  the  study,  that  was  requisite, 
but  the  gift  of  conversing  with,  and  understanding  the  people : 
it  was  not  a  city  of  Europe  or  North  America,  in  which  such 
work  could  be  done,  but  the  Mission-Stations  in  the  midst  of 
half-converted  Natives  :  it  was  not  earthly  honour,  or  high 
remuneration,  that  would  tempt  capable  men  to  dwell  in  noxious 
climates,  often  far  from  the  civilized  comforts  of  the  age,  but 
the  wondrous  desire  to  save  Souls,  the  entire  consecration  of 
talents,  health,  and  life,  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  their  fellow- 
creatures  :  the  work,  when  done,  was  not  to  be  crowned  with  a 
Volney-Prize,  or  stared  at  as  something  wonderful  in  a  public 
Library ;  but  it  was  to  be  submitted  at  once  to  the  test  of  daily 
use  in  the  school  and  Mission-Chapel.  It  would  be  exposed  to 
the  criticism  of  European  colleagues,  and  Native  Pastors,  and 
Catechists,  who  read  it  and  quoted  it,  and  explained  it  every  day 
of  their  life.  It  might  therefore  be  rugged,  be  unpolished,  but 
it  must  be  intelligible,  and  real.  In  many  cases  it  was  set  up 
and  printed,  and  the  sheets  stitched  together,  by  members  of  the 
very  flock,  for  whose  use  it  was  made  :  and  no  wonder,  that  they 
loved  it,  and  prized  it,  as  their  own,  and  in  many  cases  rejoiced 
to  send  to  the  Parent-Society  the  whole  cost  of  the  production. 
Some  of  the  best  translations  are  entirely  indigenous  productions, 
just  as  in  a  village  in  India  the  Cotton  is  grown  in  the  fields,  the 
pods  are.  picked  by  the  women,  then  cleaned,  then  spun,  then 
woven,  then  made  up  into  garments  to  be  worn  by  the  men, 
women,  and  chijdren.  Of  all  the  great  Manufacturing  wonders, 
of  which  Great  Britain  is  proud,  perhaps  none  is  more  soul- 
uplifting  than  that  of  the  translation,  and  printing,  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

The  translators  were  with  the  fewest  exceptions  the  Missionaries 
of  the  Protestant  Societies  of  Europe,  and  North  America,  and 
herein  lies  an  additional  confirmation  of  the  necessity  of  a  Bible- 
Society  being  the  representative  of  United  Christendom.  Well- 
meaning,  but  imperfectly  instructed,  INIembers  of  the  Established 
Church  of  England,  claiming  to  themselves  an  authority,  which 
it  is  difiiicult  to  reconcile  with  common  sense,  and  impossible  to 
reconcile  with  history,  murmured  at  the  idea  of  such  a  union  ; 


(     57    ) 

"but  the  Practice  has  approved  the  Principle.  How  should  we 
have  compassed  the  round  world,  if  we  had  restricted  ourselves 
to  one  denomination,  or  one  coterie  of  scholars  ?  It  required 
the  united  effort  of  every  Protestant,  and  every  scholar,  and  every 
Society,  to  do  what  has  been  done  ;  and  it  must  be  admitted,  that 
those,  who  scruple  to  join  and  support  the  Society,  do  not  hesitate 
to  make  use  of  good  translations,  without  inquiring  too  closely 
by  whose  unauthorized  learning  and  devotion  they  were  made. 
"  Factum  valet,  quod  fieri  non  debet."  It  is  natural,  that 
Christians  should  prefer  the  denomination,  to  which  they  con- 
scientiously belong,  but  the  Unity  of  Christ's  Church  on  Earth 
is  an  essential  feature  of  our  common  Faith,  and  pity  must  be 
felt  for  those,  who  place  the  Shibboleth  of  their  own  particular 
fold  above  the  interest  of  the  whole  flock. 

I  now  come  face  to  face  with  the  languages  themselves,  the 
forms  of  speech,  the  sentences  made  up  of  words,  by  which  man 
communicates  with  his  fellow-man  :  these  forms  of  speech  may 
be  separate  languages,  possibly  sister-languagfes,  coming  from 
the  same  common  stock,  like  Italian  and  Spanish  from  Latin,  or 
dialects  of  the  same  language,  like  the  Venetian  and  Neapolitan 
dialects  of  Italian,  differentiated  from  each  other  in  phonetics, 
in  word-store,  and  in  structure.  The  subject  is  a  most  fascinating 
one  :  there  is  but  one  more  subject  more  charming  than  the 
study  of  Language,  and  that  is  the  study  of  the  Bible,  and  here 
both  are  combined. 

Some  scholars  have  studied  the  literature  of  one  particular 
Epoch,  such  as  the  classical  periods  of  a  language,  and  turned 
their  attention  to  the  subject-matter  of  that  literature,  and  the 
style  of  the  authors  :  other  scholars  have  looked  over  these 
points  altogether,  and  studied  the  sentences,  the  words,  and  the 
letters,  viz.  the  materials,  and  not  the  result  of  the  combination 
of  those  materials  :  it  is,  as  if  a  tourist  in  Italy  were  to  consider 
the  pebbles,  of  which  a  tesselated  pavement  was  composed,  and 
not  the  pattern  of  the  mosaic.  Upon  closer  reflection  such 
scholars  will  be  found  to  be  on  the  most  interesting  track.  The 
words  of  a  language,  the  way  in  which  they  are  compounded,  or 
modified,  the  order  in  which  they  are  grouped,  the  friction, 
which  they  have  undergone,  the  shades  of  variation  of  meaning, 
which  they  have  acquired  by  the  contact  of  the  genius  of  the 
men,  using  them  as  vehicles  of  thought,  present  phenomena 
unequalled  in  intricacy  and  wonder.  Some  words  seem  to 
be  indestructible :  the  three  letters  k,  /,  b  meant  the  idea  of 
"  writing,"  when  Moses  brought  the  tables  of  stone  from  Mount 
Sinai,  and  they  mean  the  same  thing  now  over  a  great  part  of 
Asia  ;  the  three  letters  b,  r,  k  meant  "  blessing  "  at  the  time  of 
the  Exodus,  and  mean  the  same  thing  still.  The  necessity  of  a 
bilingual  interpreter  soon  forced  itself  upon  the  notice  of  natives 


(     58     ) 

and  tribes,  who  held  intercourse  with  their  neighbours,  and, 
when  the  forward  step  was  taken  of  inventing  Ideographs, 
Syllabaries,  and  Alphabets,  for  the  record  of  past  facts,  and 
the  written  communication  of  current  facts,  the  necessity  of 
translations  of  esteemed  works  became  obvious. 

We  know,  how  before  Christ  the  Hebrew  Books  were  by  order 
of  Ptolemy,  King  of  Egypt,  translated  into  Greek.  Our  Lord 
on  the  Cross  quoted  from  the  Psalms  in  an  Aramaic  version :  it 
may  be  assumed,  that,  when  He  read  from  the  Book  of  Isaiah 
in  the  Synagogue  at  Nazareth,  He  used  an  Aramaic  version,  as 
the  Hebrew  had  ceased  to  be  a  Vernacular,  and  the  Synagogue- 
roll  was  a  translation.  When  the  Christian  Religion  spread,  the 
difficulty  of  tongues  was  soon  felt.  The  Eastern  Church  was 
never  jealous  of  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the  Ver- 
nacular, and  the  same  impulse,  that  led  Jerome  to  reside  at 
Bethlehem,  and  translate  the  Bible  into  the  great  Vernacular  of 
the  Roman  world,  had  three  centuries  previously  led  to  the 
Koptic,  the  Syriac,  the  Armenian,  and  the  Ethiopic  versions  : 
this  example  was  freely  followed  by  other  nations  :  when  Rome 
fell  into  unscriptural  errors,  she  sealed  up  the  book,  which 
would  expose  those  errors  :  still,  insensibly,  she  permitted  the 
existence  of  a  French  translation  by  De  Sacy,  a  Spanish  by 
Scio,  a  Portuguese  by  Figuerido,  an  Italian  by  Martini,  a 
German  by  Van  Ess.  When  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society  commenced  their  operations  on  the  principle,  that  the 
Bible  should  be  conveyed  to  every  Land,  that  the  Gospel  should 
be  brought  to  the  door  of  every  Nation,  and  Kindred,  and 
Language  and  Tongue,  the  Committee  had  to  grapple  with  an 
untold  variety  of  circumstances.  It  was  easy  to  multiply  copies 
of  the  English  Bible,  and  the  supply  of  books  to  the  other  resi- 
dents of  these  Islands,  the  Welsh,  the  Gaelic,  the  INIanx,  the 
Erse,  and  the  French  for  the  Channel  Islands,  required  no 
great  effort;  but  when  great,  distant,  and  comparatively  little- 
known  countries  had  to  be  dealt  with,  startling  problems  had 
to  be  solved,  such  as  had  never  been  dealt  with  at  any  period  of 
the  world's  history.  The  scholarship  of  the  great  scholars  of 
the  period  was  soon  exhausted.  Not  as  yet  had  Bopp  raised 
the  study  of  Language  to  the  rank  of  a  Science,  not  as  yet  had 
a  Geographical  solution  been  applied  to  the  great  problem : 

Given  the  surface  of  the  Globe,  and  the  approximate  number  of  the  inhabi- 
tants thereof,  to  find  out  wliat  languages  are  spoken,  and  to  reduce  those 
languages  to  writing,  and  to  translate  the  Scriptures  into  them,  so  as  to  be 
understood  by  the  women  and  the  children,  the  old  and  the  ignorant,  as  well  as 
by  the  young  enterprizing  men  of  business. 

If  the  Committee  in  its  first  quarter  of  a  Century  had  realized  the 
immensity  of  the  problem,  they  would  have  shrunk  from  the 
endeavour;  but  it  was  concealed  from  their  eyes,  and  it  is  only, 


(     59    ) 

as  tlicir  successors  have  plodded  on,  that  it  has  become  manifest, 
how  magnificent  is  the  spectacle  of  from  two  to  three  thousand 
mutually  unintelligible  forms  of  speech  being  at  this  moment 
used  in  the  world. 

Thelivesof  languages  are  as  uncertain  and  precarious,  as  the  lives 
of  men:  they  have  fallen,  and  will  continue  to  fall,  like  the  leaves 
of  a  tree.  It  is  one  continual  struggle  for  life  between  the  strong 
and  the  weak.  How  many  languages  has  the  English  devoured, 
and  how  many  more  in  its  lordly  progress  over  Continent  and 
Island  it  will  still  devour!  While  the  Edition  of  the  translation 
of  the  Bible  into  the  Nama  dialect  of  the  Hottentot  language 
was  passing  through  the  Press,  a  warning  came  to  the  Com- 
mittee to  stay  their  hand,  as  the  Dutch  language  by  the  force  of 
its  own  superior  vitality  was  treading  out  the  ancestral  language 
of  a  tribe  passing  into  the  lower  levels  of  civilization.  Emperors 
and  Popes  blindly  try  to  stamp  out  politically  obnoxious  lan- 
guages in  Europe,  but  their  efforts  are  vain.  The  vehicle  of  human 
thought  obeys  a  law  of  its  own,  and  defies  the  ukase  of  a  Sovereign, 
the  Bull  of  a  Pope,  or  the  Act  of  a  Parliament.  Of  most  of  the 
languages,  which  came  under  the  hand  of  the  translator,  there 
were  no  Grammars,  or  Dictionaries,  or  Texts  :  the  words  had  to 
be  caught  alive  out  of  the  mouths  of  unsympathetic  Savages,  who 
could  not  conceive,  what  the  Missionary  was  after  in  trying  to 
find  out  the  meaning  of  words,  the  cause  of  alterations  of  syllables, 
and  the  construction  of  sentences.  It  must  be  remembered  also, 
that  these  good  and  earnest  men  were  with  very  rare  excep- 
tions anything  but  scholars :  they  knew  small  Latin  and  less 
Greek,  and  indeed  nothing  but  their  Mother-tongue :  it  was 
therefore  in  a  new  arena,  that  they  had  to  fight,  and  they  were 
not  furnished  with  the  experience  and  acumen  of  the  trained 
comparative  scholar,  whose  very  instinct  leads  him  to  understand 
the  manifold  variations  of  the  human  intellect,  and  its  struggles  to 
clothe  its  meaning  in  vocalic  symbols.  Some  of  these  good  men 
allowed  themselves  to  indulge  in  platitudes,  which  raise  a  smile, 
for. each  complacently  considered,  that  he  had  the  most  eccentric 
and  unmanageable  language  to  cope  with,  being  himself  utterly 
ignorant  of  any  other.  Some  went  so  far  as  to  describe  their 
languages,  as  possessing  no  Grammatical  Rules,  forgetting,  that 
Grammar  is  but  the  Photograph  of  the  method  actually  in  exis- 
tence, and  it  could  not  be  pretended,  that  words  left  the  mouth 
of  any  tribe  at  haphazard.  Some  maintained,  that  the  languages 
of  barbarians  and  savages  were  necessarily  so  simple,  that  their 
word-store  was  inadequate  to  express  the  ordinary  ideas  of  their 
daily  life,  and  that  the  early  Missionaries,  as  it  were,  created  the 
language:  we  may  puff  away  such  oft-repeated  fallacies:  the 
logic  of  the  brain  of  the  Savage  moves  as  freely,  as  that  of  the 
educated  man,  and  the  majority  of  Savages  are  born  orators. 


(     60     ) 

Nor  are  their  languag-es  necessarily  simple  or  incomplete :  this 
may  be  said  of  the  Hebrew,  which  had  the  advantage  of  very 
early  culture,  and  being  committed  to  written  record  very  early, 
was  stunted  in  its  growth  :  but  in  three  languages  in  different 
parts  of  the  world  we  find  phenomena  of  a  very  different  character. 
The  Sontal  language  in  Central  India  is  described  as  being 
highly  complicated,  yet  strictly  logical,  possessing  five  voices, 
five  moods,  twenty-three  tenses,  three  numbers,  and  four  cases. 
The  great  Bantu  languages  of  South  Africa,  South  of  the  Equator, 
are  described  by  all,  who  have  studied  them,  as  rich,  abounding, 
in  expressions,  which  exhibit  most  delicate  shades  of  thought, 
regular,  exact,  and  precise,  and  sufficing  from  their  own  word- 
store,  if  the  rules  of  their  own  marvellous  structure  are  worked 
out,  to  translate  the  whole  Bible  without  the  necessity  of  a 
single  loan-word.  What  shall  be  said  of  the  Turki  language  of 
Northern  Asia,  before  it  became  diluted  and  poisoned  with  Arian 
and  Semitic  admixtures  ?  Its  accumulating  and  self-contained 
power  was  such,  that  each  word  could  develope  into  many 
hundred  possible  forms. 

And  the  translation,  when  made,  was  not  destined  to  be  placed 
on  the  shelf  of  a  library,  or  to  be  used  by  a  few  select  scholars, 
or  even  by  the  larger  and  more  sharply  critical  circle  of  students, 
such  as  those,  who  study  the  Scriptures  in  the  Hebrew  and  the 
Greek.  But  these  translations  at  once  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  Native  Catechist  and  the  Native  Sunday  School-teacher,  and 
the  Bible-women,  and  the  old  crones,  who  loved  to  spell  out 
their  Bible.     One  Missionary  records  the  process  : 

As  fast  as  the  Bible  was  translated,  my  wife  taught  it  to  the  women  and  girls  : 
she  taught  them  first  to  read  it,  and  then  to  commit  it  to  memory,  and  left  the 
Spirit  of  God  to  apply  it  to  their  hearts  and  consciences  (translated  "  heajt- 
voices  ")  in  His  own  time  and  way.  The  Bible  was  the  basis  of  their  religion, 
and  of  their  civilization,  and  the  fruit  appeared  in  due  time. 

IVIore  than  that,  the  flow  of  new  Missionaries  is  continuous,  and 
the  order  of  men's  minds  strangely  varies,  there  being  a  general 
preference  even  among  consecrated  men  to  their  own  opinion,  on 
matters  of  literary  taste,  or  translationary  accuracy.  We  see  thus, 
that  the  work  of  the  translator,  the  man  who  broke  up  the  virgin 
soil,  the  prentice-hand,  that  tried  to  do  his  best,  had  a  heavy 
ordeal  to  go  through.  Besides  being  an  honest  man,  loving  his 
work,  he  became  his  own  severest  critic.  A  one-man  translation  is, 
and  must  always  be,  looked  upon  with  suspicion. 

No  one  man,  however  well  qualified  for  the  task,  ought  to  be 
entrusted  with  the  entire  responsibility  of  translating  the  Word 
of  God  into  a  foreign  language ;  it  should  therefore  be  a  stand- 
ing rule,  that  after  the  translator  has  done  his  work,  he  should 
submit  his  MS.  to  a  Committee  of  not  less  than  three  of  his 
brethren,  European  and  Native,  appointed  for  the  purpose  at  a 


(    6i     ) 

general  meeting.  The  translator  should  be  one  of  the  Com- 
mittee, but  the  Committee  should  be  responsible  for  the  transla- 
tion, every  word  being  compared  with  the  original,  and  the 
renderings  settled,  as  the  united  voice  of  the  Committee  decided. 
The  time  seems  to  me  to  have  come,  when  all  the  translations  of 
the  less  well-known  languages  should  be  submitted  to  the  inde- 
pendent criticism  of  scholars  selected  for  the  purpose :  many 
circumstances  have  led  me  to  fear,  that  serious  errors  of  judg- 
ment have  been  committed,  and  an  artificial  language  introduced. 

Other  eccentric  mistakes  may  have  been  made,  ex.gr.  "Let 
Us  make  man  in  our  own  Image."  In  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  the 
Plural  number  is  used :  some  commentators  imagine,  that  the 
Trinity  is  alluded  to  :  but  this  hardly  justified  a  translator  in  a 
language,  provided  with  four  numbers,  singular,  plural,  dual  and 
trinal,  to  use  the  last,  and  take  credit  for  his  skill  in  the  rendering, 
"Let  Us  three  make  man."  This  is  interpretation,  noi  translation. 

Then  again  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  Revelation  of  St.  John 
speaking  through  one,  who  knew  the  Greek  language,  conde- 
scends to  illustrate  the  all-comprehensiveness  of  the  Saviour  by 
saying,  "  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega."  No  doubt  it  is  a  great 
difficulty,  and  the  Hindustani  version  "  Main  Alfa  aur  Omaga" 
reads  awkwardly,  but  no  doubt  is  as  intelligible  to  a  Peasant  in 
India,  as  the  Greek  words  are  to  a  Peasant  in  Great  Britain,  yet 
this  hardly  justifies  the  version  in  an  African  language  using  a 
Roman  Alphabet,  "  I  am  A  and  Z." 

There  may  be  more  than  one  denomination  of  Christian 
Missions  working  in  the  same  Language-Field,  quite  ready  to 
make  use  of  the  same  version,  when  once  it  is  settled,  but 
naturally  desirous  to  have  a  word  in  the  matter.  Many  distinct 
views  may  be  taken  of  the  duty  of  a  translator :  some  prefer 
literal,  even  servile,  following  of  the  Greek,  or  Hebrew,  text, 
which,  owing  to  the  difference  of  the  languages,  may  lead  to 
inconveniences  :  others  may  incline  to  a  paraphrase,  which  may 
prove  dangerous,  as  implying  interpretation.  The  tastes  of  some 
may  incline  to  a  stilted,  and  classical,  book-style:  others  may  err 
on  the  side  of  too  vulgar  a  Vernacular,  falling  below  the  dignity 
of  the  subject.  Add  to  this  the  nice  points  as  to  the  meaning 
of  certain  terms  in  the  original,  and  difficulties  of  exegesis, 
difficulties  of  finding  correct  renderings  of  the  great  land-marks 
of  Theology,  such  as  Faith,  Justification,  Repentance,  etc.  It 
requires  a  long  familiarity  with  the  original  text,  and  a  deep 
penetration  into  its  spirit,  to  be  able  to  sort  out,  build  up,  create, 
or  coin,  suitable  renderings.  - 

All  these  difficulties  crop  up  out  of  the  subject-matter,  but 
there  are  additional  causes  of  heart-burning.  Within  the  region 
there  may  be  a  cluster  of  sister-dialects  of  one  common  language, 
but  none  having  such  a  pre-eminence  as  to  justify  its  being  made 


(     62     ) 

the  Standard.  At  the  time  of  the  Peloponnesian  War  would  the 
Spartans  with  their  Doric,  or  the  lonians  with  their  Ionic,  have 
submitted  to  be  taught,  and  preached  to,  in  Attic  ?  The 
translator  naturally  takes  to  the  dialect  of  the  particular  tribe, 
among  whom  he  has  dwelt,  and  from  whose  lips  he  has  picked 
up  his  knowledge.  Within  twenty  miles  of  his  station  dwells 
another  tribe,  speaking  a  markedly  distinct  dialect,  and  among 
them  has  settled  a  Mission  of  another  Denomination,  and 
another  Nationality,  say  German  or  French.  Here  commences 
the  battle  of  dialects.  The  Bible-Society,  with  reason,  strives  to 
safeguard  the  Bible  from  the  peril  of  a  double  voice,  in  rival  and 
discordant  translations,  and  objects  to  encourage  in  any  way  the 
publication  of  two  versions  in  closely  allied  dialects  of  the  same 
language,  and  strives  to  compose  the  difficulty,  which  is 
aggravated  often  by  a  feature  still  more  serious.  In  countries, 
such  as  India,  there  is  a  multiplicity  of  magnificent  alphabets, 
adapted  with  precision  to  the  sounds  of  their  languages.  Strange 
to  say,  the  translator,  who  is  new  to  his  work,  invites  sympathy 
to  himself  by  dilating  on  the  fact,  that  he  has  to  use  a  foreign 
alphabet.  With  greater  reason  the  translator,  who  has  to  deal 
with  a  language,  never  previously  subjected  to  the  discipline  of 
an  alphabet,  may  dwell  upon  the  real  difficulty  of  differentiating 
the  sounds  accurately,  and  recording  them  precisely.  It  is 
generally  accepted,  that,  when  no  alphabet  exists,  some  form  or 
other  of  the  Roman  alphabet  should  be  adopted  :  not  the 
imperfect  and  inadequate  machine,  which  is  applied  to  the 
English  language,  where  one  symbol,  without  the  help  of 
diacritical  marks,  is  made  to  represent  several  distinct  vowel- 
sounds,  but  an  improved,  enlarged,  and  scientific,  Roman 
alphabet.  Here  commences  the  battle  of  the  alphabets.  No 
French,  or  German,  Missionary  appears  to  be  able  to  transliterate 
in  the  same  manner,  as  an  Englishman.  Systems  have  been 
propounded  by  competent  scholars,  but  have  never  found  general, 
fearless,  and  universal,  acceptance.  In  Africa  there  are  two  or 
three  systems  slightly  differing :  in  Ashanti-Land  two  versions  of 
of  a  portion  of  the  Scriptures  have  been  published  by  the 
Society :  the  dialectical  variation  of  the  Fanti,  and  Akwapem,  is 
slight,  but  the  difference  of  the  transliterating  method  is  so  great, 
that  none,  but  a  practised  student,  could  read  both.  In  North 
America  some  of  the  translators  with  greater  hardihood  have 
gone  back,  as  it  were,  many  Centuries  on  the  path  of  Civilization, 
and  adopted  a  brand-new  Syllabary,  thus  cutting  off  their  flocks 
entirely  from  the  possible  contact  of  European  literature.  In 
South  America  a  IVIissionary  has  adopted  a  system,  which  no  one 
understands  but  himself;  for  the  inventor,  whose  name  it  bears, 
disavows  it  on  account  of  the  radical  changes  made  in  the 
course  of  its  use  by  the  JMissionary.     The  proofs  of  the  sheets 


(    63     ) 

.printed  in  London  have  to  be  sent  to  Tierra  del  Fuego  to  be 
corrected,  occupying  six  months  of  wasted  time. 

A  Committee  of  Revision,  formed  of  representative  men,  is 
the  method  adopted  by  the  Bible-Societies  to  bring  discordant 
elements  into  some  kind  of  harmony  :  the  process  is  slow,  and 
costly,  but  sure,  and  lasting,  and  leading  on  to  finality  in  some 
dim  and  remote  future. 

The  following  rules  were  agreed  upon  for  the  guidance  of  one 
Translation  Committee,  and  are  given  as  a  sample  : 

"  I.  The  object  is  to  make  a  translation,  not  a  paraphrase,  or 
explanation. 

2.  The  translation  is  to  be  as  literal,  as  the  language  will  allow. 

3.  The  translation  is  intended  for  popular  use,  and  therefore 
should  be  as  simple  as  possible,  yet  not  vulgar. 

4.  Ambiguity  in  the  original  is  to  be  retained,  where  practic- 
able. 

5.  Peculiar  Biblical  phraseology  to  be  retained,  where  practic- 
able. 

6.  Important  words,  and  their  cognates,  to  be  translated  as 
uniformly  as  practicable. 

7.  Questions  of  principle  to  be  referred  to  the  Parent-Com- 
mittee. 

8.  The  existing  version,  published  in  1880,  is  to  be  taken  as  the 
basis  of  the  new  translation  in  respect  of  the  general  meaning  of 
the  original ;  but  reference  may  be  made  to  the  Authorized  and 
Revised  English  versions,  and  those  members  of  the  Committee, 
who  are  acquainted  with  Greek,  should  be  consulted  in  regard  to 
the  meaning  of  the  original  in  doubtful  cases. 

9.  The  European  members  of  the  Committee  are  entitled  to 
express  their  opinion,  whether  in  regard  to  the  meaning  of  the 
original,  or  the  Vernacular  rendering,  but  they  are  not  entitled  to 
a  vote  on  questions,  that  merely  involve  a  question  of  language. 

10.  The  Secretary  shall  first  draft  the  version  of  each  chapter. 
This  shall  be  printed,  and  a  copy  with  wide  margin  sent  to  each 
member  of  the  Committee,  who  will  make  such  corrections  as 
seem  to  him  desirable,  and  return  it  within  a  week  to  the  Editor. 
He  will  consider  the  corrections  thus  made  within  the  week, 
adopt  such  of  them,  as  he  approves  of,  and  send  a  copy  thus 
corrected  to  each  member.  The  members  shall  then  meet  and 
decide  all  questions  by  a  majority  of  votes." 

And,  when  the  Manuscript  is  ready,  every  ingenuity  of  Art  and 
Science  is  utilized  to  multiply  copies,  and  perpetuate  Editions. 
The  sizes  of  the  sheets,  and  of  the  types,  and  the  number  of  the 
copies,  and  the  character  of  the  binding,  the  quality  of  paper, 
and  the  price  to  be  charged,  are  all  subjects,  involving  reflection, 
a  sound  judgment,  a  multiplicity  of  opinions,  and  an  abundance 
of  resources.     Sometimes  Photography  is  made  use  of. 


(     64     ) 

And  the  wonderful  God-made  vehicle  of  language  is  always 
found  adequate,  though  in  a  multiform  and  various  manner,  to 
convey  the  meaning  of  God's  Word  correctly.  The  Divine 
Word  is  itself  so  marvellously  enshrined  in  human  vocables,  it  is 
so  human  in  its  outward  form,  that  it  lends  itself  readily  to  new 
renderings :  the  pure  gold  is  easily  cast  in  the  new  linguistic 
mint.  This  cannot  be  said  of  any  other  book.  Sometimes  the 
translator  has  turned  too  readily  to  the  use  of  loan-words  from 
dead  or  living  languages,  and  has  thus  defiled  the  pure  fount  of 
the  Native  Vernacular :  it  is  much  to  be  regretted,  and  in  my 
opinion  implies  the  absence  of  study  of  the  resources  of  that 
language :  the  particular  words  wanted  did  not  exist,  because 
the  idea  had  not  existed,  and  the  word  was  not  wanted.  Fifty 
years  ago  nobody  required  such  words  as  "  Railway,  Station, 
Telegram,"  etc. :  with  the  necessity  came  the  word,  which  has 
been  evolved  from  the  undeveloped  Word-Store  of  the  language. 
The  fault  lies  with  the  translator,  not  the  language. 

A  translation  of  the  Bible  is  generally  the  nucleus  of  an 
indigenous  literature,  and  from  that  date  the  grammatical 
structure  of  the  language  becomes  fixed,  and  a  certain  amount 
of  permanence  is  guaranteed  to  its  existence.  There  is  therefore 
a  great  objection  to  translations  in  a  Jargon,  a  Patois,  a  Coast- 
language,  or  Pigeon-language,  which  occupy  a  position  lower 
down  in  the  linguistic  scale  than  a  dialect,  representing  either 
the  Business-form  of  words  used  by  ignorant  traders,  landing  on 
the  Coast,  and  dealing  with  still  more  ignorant  tribes,  or  some- 
times the  linguistic  medium  of  the  village  and  family,  who  have 
conserved  a  domestic  idiom,  although  using  the  ordinary 
Vernacular  out  of  doors.  The  idea  of  a  Pigeon-English  trans- 
lation in  China  would  be  odious,  or  a  trader's  jargon  on  the 
African  coast ;  but  there  are  circumstances,  under  which  a  re- 
laxation of  a  good  rule  must  be  made.  We  have  already  alluded 
to  the  special  translations  made  for  the  Hebrew  Nomads,  who 
still  dwell  in  Europe,  as  it  were  in  tents,  and  use  a  dialect  with 
their  own  word-store  veneered  upon  an  Arian  structure.  Another 
cause  of  relaxation  has  been  the  necessity  of  Creole  translations, 
and  West  Indian  varieties.  The  American  Negroes  have  been 
the  victims  of  circumstances  :  of  their  own  languages  they  have 
lost  all  trace,  and  have  adopted  weak  and  corrupted  forms  of 
European  languages.  Souls  must  be  saved,  at  any  sacrifice  of 
linguistic  purity.  The  words  seem  to  our  ears  ridiculous,  but, 
if  they  become  the  vehicle  of  true  prayer,  and  of  sound  teaching, 
the  Holy  Spirit  will  doubtless  work  through  such  a  medium  to 
as  rich  a  blessing,  as  would  be  called  down  by  a  similar  use  of 
the  most  polished  language.  The  Word  of  God  must  be  brought 
to  the  level  of  being  understood  by  the  humblest  man,  woman, 
and  child,  and  will  not  suffer  from  the  apparent  degradation. 


(     65     ) 

On  the  one  hand,  proud  literary  languages,  which  delight  in 
honorific  phrasps,  and  a  phraseology  of  deference,  such  as  the 
languages  of  Java,  the  Osmanli  Turki,  or  the  Bangali,  must  be 
levelled  down  to  the  grand  simplicity  of  the  Hebrew  and  Greek, 
and  the  comprehension  of  the  unlettered  poor :  while,  on  the 
other  hand,  poor,  unsettled,  uncultivated,  undeveloped  forms 
of  mixed  words  must  be  levelled  up  to  the  dignity  of  being  the 
vehicle  of  God's  Message  to  Man,  and  the  golden  censer,  in 
which  prayer  is  offered  to  t'he  Most  High. 

Let  us  consider  the  dignity  of  the  office  of  a  translator:  he  is 
not  indeed  composing  a  new  Bible,  but  making  an  old  one  com- 
prehensible for  the  first  time  to  a  new  people:  and  the  work 
must  be  done  by  consecrated  persons,  begun,  continued  and 
ended  in  prayer,  often  under  great  physical  and  local  difficulties, 
and  far  from  references  to  critical  helps,  and  books  of  reference, 
but  in  touch  of  the  people,  for  whose  benefit  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
guiding  the  faithful  and  humble-minded  translator.  It  is  the 
first  book  in  many  languages,  and  often  the  .only  book,  and 
always  the  best  book.  As  the  wonderful  story  is  spelt  out  in 
new  combinations  of  syllables  and  letters,  or  hesitatingly  pro- 
nounced in  new  sequences  of  strange,  but  still  euphonious, 
sounds,  and,  as  the  divine  conception  of  Sin,  Faith,  Pardon  and 
Peace,  impresses  itself  on  the  consciences  and  intellects  of 
untutored,  yet  sympathetic,  savages,  how  the  heart  of  the  trans- 
lator is  gladdened,  how  his  eye  is  brightened  to  think,  that  in 
the  course  of  ages  to  him  it  has  been  reserved  to  be  the  first 
interpreter  of  Revelation  to  tribes,  so  long  lying  out  of  the  way 
of  the  Gospel  !  On  the  tomb  of  more  than  one  venerable  scholar 
the  Inscription  could  have  been  recorded,  that  he  translated  the 
whole  Bible  into  a  language  previously  unknown.  Universities, 
slowly  wise,  and  meanly  just,  have  lately  conferred  Scholastic 
honours  on  both  European  and  Negro  translators,  as  some  slight 
return  for  such  great  services  both  to  Religion  and  Science ;  I 
am  glad  to  record,  that  to  the  Negro  race  this  honour  has  been 
conceded  to  be  forward  in  this  great  work.  Archdeacon  Henry 
Johnson  on  the  Upper  Niger,  though  a  pure  Negro,  is  an  accom- 
plished scholar,  and  a  courteous  gentleman  :  he  is  exhausting 
worlds  of  linguistic  Science,  already  partially  discovered,  and 
discovering  entirely  new  forms  of  speech,  and  clothing  the 
Gospel  in  this  new  material. 

It  is  a  great  marvel  to  sit  in  the  Library  of  the  Bible-House, 
and  follow  the  fine  lines  of  the  spider's  web,  which  stretch  out 
to  every  part  of  the  world,  and  to  touch  with  respect  and  awe  the 
specimen-copies  of  versions,  printed  in  words,  which  no  one  in 
Europe  can  understand,  by  the  agency  of  native  presses  in  far- 
distant  regions,  which  C^sar  never  knew,  but  which  have  been 
revealed  to  our   generation.      How  narrow  seems  the   Region 


(  ^&  ) 

alluded  to  in  Acts  ii.  5,  under  the  sounding  expression  of  twv  otto 
rod  ovpavou,  OX  "every  nation  under  Heaven,"  compared  with 
that  infinitely  wider  region,  in  which  man  can  now  hear  and  read 
the  mighty  works  of  God,  each  in  his  own  language !  Just  as  a 
new  Planet  rolls  itself  into  the  orbit  of  human  sight,  so  new 
languages  of  new  tribes  spring  annually  out  of  the  Great  Un- 
known into  the  arena  of  Knowledge,  exhibiting  new  forms  of 
Grammatical  texture,  new  word-stores  cast  in  unknown  moulds, 
and  calling  out  to  the  Servants  of  Christ,  whether  the  Yellow 
Mongol,  or  the  black  Negro,  or  the  red  American,  or  the  white 
Caucasian,  to  come  over  and  make  use  of  them,  and  ennoble  them, 
and  perpetuate  them  by  committing  to  them  the  Oracles  of  God. 
And  beyond  those,  which  are  partially  known  or  dimly  revealed, 
the  vast  empty  space  on  the  latest  maps  warns  us  of  the  existence 
of  a  great  ierra  incogfiila,  and  unrevealed  Millions.  We  are,  as  it 
were,  standing  on  the  sea-shore,  and  listeningtothe  confused  noise 
of  the  waves,  or  upon  a  high  tower,  listening  to  the  murmurs 
of  the  unseen  crowd  below,  that  float  up  to  our  hearing.  There 
are  secrets  reserved  for  the  twentieth  Century  to  reveal,  and  the 
Catalogue  of  Versions,  which  we  now  fondly  look  on  with  satis- 
faction, will  be  alluded  to  with  a  pitying  smile,  as  the  puny  effort 
of  a  generation  honest,  yet  not  over-wise,  well-intentioned,  but 
not  very  capable.  Time  is  on  the  side  of  the  Bible-Societies, 
which  so  far  resemble  the  Persian  irrigating  wheel  with  a  never- 
ending  chain,  pouring  out  a  continuous  stream  of  fertilizing 
water.  Fifty  years  hence,  if  Great  Britain  lasts  so  long  (and 
even  then  the  American  Bible  Society  will  survive,  and  the 
Australasian  Associations  will  be  independent),  we  shall  know 
something :  and,  until  we  have  the  Bible  in  every  language 
spoken  under  the  Sun,  it  is  quite  premature  to  discuss  the  origin 
and  object  of  Human  Speech,  for  it  appears  to  me,  that  the 
Gift  of  Speech  was  only  made  to  us  for  the  purpose  of  convey- 
ing God's  Message,  not  to  Churches,  and  Priests,  but  to  the 
individual  man  for  the  well-being  of  his  Soul. 

But  in  the  work  of  translation  other  difficulties  arise  than 
those  of  the  Language.  No  class  of  men  are  so  narrow  in  their 
vision  as  Missionaries,  except  Scholars,  and  the  Scholar- 
Missionary,  or  rather  the  One-Language  unscholarly  Missionary, 
is  a  most  opinionated,  untractable,  individual.  He  raises  up  an 
isolated  pinnacle  of  his  own  judgment,  and  can  see  with  only 
one  eye,  and  that  perhaps  a  distorted  eye.  He  is  aware  of  his 
great  value,  but  is  not  aware,  that  the  more  profound  the  scholar 
becomes,  the  more  humility  he  acquires,  and  the  more  accurate 
is  his  instinct  of  seeing  beyond  the  mere  pages  into  the 
consequences  of  certain  expressions.  It  has  been  justly 
remarked,  that  men  have  become  slaves  of  their  words,  instead 
of  maintaining   an   authority  over  their  vehicle  of  ideas.     In 


(    6;     ) 

"China,  the  Divine  name  has  been  and  is  the  cause  of  a  long  and 
endless  quarrel.  The  inspired  writers  of  the  New  Testament 
laid  hold  of  certain  ordinary  Greek  words,  and  gave  them  by 
their  holy  touch  a  new  significance.  It  may  be  possible,  that 
the  Chinese  have  no  term  appropriate  to  the  Lord  of  the 
Universe,  and  Creator  of  IVIankiud  :  unquestionably  the  people 
of  India,  Persia,  and  Arabia,  are  well  supplied.  The  question 
in  China  lies  principally  between  "Shin"  and  "  Shang-Ti." 
To  meet  the  difficulty  of  two  wholly  ifreconcileable  schools, 
whole  Editions  have  been  published,  leaving  a  blank,  wherever 
the  Divine  name  occurs,  so  that  it  may  be  filled  up  by  hand,  at 
the  pleasure  of  the  Missionary.  A  similar  difficulty  has  arisen 
in  the  Zulu  language  of  South  Africa :  unquestionably  a  foreign 
name  should  never  be  introduced.  When  the  Teutons  were 
converted,  the  word  "God"  was  used,  not  "Deus,"  or  "Geo?."  In 
India  for  many  years  a  storm  has  raged  on  the  mode  of  trans- 
literating the  holy  name  of  Jesus.  In  Mahometan  countries  the 
tradition  has  been  handed  down  of  the  word  "  Isa,"  and  such 
is  the  term  used  in  Arabic,  Turkish,  and  Persian  translations  ; 
but  many  of  the  Indian  translators  will  have  the  word  "  Yisu," 
and  it  is  possible,  that  gradually  in  the  minds  of  an  ignorant 
people  there  will  exist  separate  individualities  to  correspond 
with  the  two  separate  names.  The  use  of  the  word  "  Baptism  " 
has  rent  from  the  Society  a  considerable  number  of  adherents, 
and  led  to  the  foundation  of  the  Baptist  Bible  Society  using  a 
Vernacular  term  meaning  "  Immersion."  It  must  be  remembered, 
that  one  of  the  organic  rules  of  the  Society  is,  that  the  translation 
is  to  be  without  note  or  comment.  Clearly  so  to  translate  a 
neutral  word,  as  to  give  it  an  interpretation,  which  is  not 
admitted  by  a  majority  of  Protestant  Christians,  would  be  to 
depart  from  that  rule. 

Another  controversy  has  lately  arisen  as  to  the  transliterating, 
or  translation,  of  the  great  name  of  the  God  of  Israel,  "Jehovah." 
The  Jews  veiled  it  under  the  term  Adonai,  and  the  unpronounced 
tetragrammata  have  the  vowel-pointing  of  Adonai.  The  Septua- 
gint  and  our  Blessed  Lord,  and  his  Apostles,  use  the  translated 
word  Ku/)io?,  the  Latin  Church  "  Dominus,"  the  German  "  Herr," 
the  Arab  and  Turkish  Churches  "  Rab,"  and  the  people  of 
Northern  India  "Khudawand."  Only  in  certain  special  passages, 
where  there  is  an  obvious  necessity,  in  all  the  versions  except 
the  Hindustani,  is  the  term  Jehovah  used.  The  translators  of 
the  Old  Testament  in  Persian  and  Pastu  seek  to  introduce  a 
change,  for  in  both  languages  a  term  analogous  to  Adonai  has 
been  used  by  the  earlier  translators.  There  is  an  objection  to 
a  one-man  version,  because  in  such  matters  an  arbitrary  man 
listens  to  no  reason  :  if  a  Revision-Committee  arrives  at  a  certain 
conclusion,  supported  by  a  majority  of  the  Missionaries  of  the 


(     68     ) 

Region,  the  Parent-Committee  would  accept  their  ruling:  but, 
where  there  is  only  one  man,  and  not  one  of  wide  experience, 
the  Parent-Committee  is  bound  to  be  firm  to  its  own  opinion, 
and,  if  the  translator  is  so  ill-judging  as  not  to  yield,  he  should 
be  relieved  of  his  task  of  translation:  it  is  no  justification  to  a 
Society,  that  it  permitted  an  error,  because  such  and  such  a  one 
desired  it.  The  problem  is  not  a  simple  one,  as  some  would 
fancy.  One  Missionary  writes,  that  he  had  been  in  continued 
prayer  on  the  subject,  and  had  arrived  at  a  conviction,  the  same  as 
preceded  his  devotions.  Another  connects  the  Afghans  with  the 
Ten  Tribes,  and  gives  that  as  a  reason.  Now  the  Old  Testament 
Company  of  Revisers  were  not  convinced,  or  at  least  had  not 
the  strength  of  their  conviction,  to  introduce  the  sacred  Name 
into  the  Revised  Version  of  the  Old  Testament.  The  New 
Testament  Company  could  not  do  so,  as  the  inspired  Greek 
Text  forbade  them  to  depart  from  the  strict  duty  of  translators. 
So  in  the  event  of  a  transliteration  of  the  sacred  Name  being 
adopted  for  the  Old  Testament,  the  jNIahometans  (and  it  is  by 
them  alone  of  the  non-Christian  world  that  the  Book  will  be 
used)  will  notice  with  surprise  three  readings  of  the  name  of  the 
"  Creator "  in  the  Old  Testament,  El  or  Elohim,  Al  Shaddai, 
and  Yahvah,  two  separate  ones  in  the  New  Testament,  Kvpio<!, 
v\lri'(no<},  and  will  remark  with  complacency,  that  iNIahomet  went 
back  to  the  primeval  form  "  Allah,"  and  that  alone. 

The  question  does  not  rest  with  theologians,  or  Bible-Students 
in  Great  Britain  :  the  only  judges  are  those,  who  are  familiar 
with  the  details  of  translation  into  non-Christian  languages. 
For  that  purpose  I  must  divide  the  Non-Christian  world  into 
two  categories :  the  first  is  that  vast  Region  of  Western  and 
Central  Asia,  and  North  Africa,  over  which  the  Mahometan 
Religion  and  Culture,  and  the  Arabic  language,  spread  :  the 
second  category  is  the  rest  of  the  world.  Now,  as  regards  the 
second  category,  I  do  not  admit,  that  any  translators  were 
justified  in  departing  from  the  example  of  our  Lord,  and  His 
Apostles,  of  the  Septuagint-Translation,  and  St.  Jerome,  of  the 
translators  of  the  Syriac,  Koptic,  Ethiopic,  and  Armenian 
versions ;  but  I  accept  facts,  and  no  inconvenience  will  arise. 
But,  as  regards  the  languages  of  the  Mahometan  Region,  I  would 
steadfastly  follow  the  example  of  the  great  Arabic  and  Turki 
versions,  the  latter  in  its  five-fold  varieties.  The  Persian  and 
Pastu  languages  are  spoken  exclusively  by  a  INIahometan 
population,  accustomed  to  Arabic  prayers,  invocations,  and 
salutations.  Both  languages,  though  of  Arian  structure,  are 
poisoned  by  Semitic  loans  not  only  of  words,  but  of  phrases, 
and  inflections.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  Urdu,  or 
Hindustani,  of  North  India :  it  is  an  Arian  language,  deeply 
affected  by  Persian  and  Arabic  loans  :  with  the  exception  of  the 


(     69    ) 

•  Baluchi,  which  is  as  yet  untouched,  the  problem  ends  here,  and 
no  future  translator  will  be  vexed  on  this  subject. 

If,  however,  the  arguments  for  adopting  a  transliteration  in 
Persian  and  Pastu  prevail,  and  to  prevail  they  must  be  over- 
powering arguments,  a  vista  of  unknown  difficulties  is  opened 
out.  With  what  consistency  can  the  Bible-Society  distribute 
another  copy  of  the  translation  of  the  Old  Testament  in  Arabic, 
Armenian  in  two  varieties,  Kurd,  Turki  in  five  varieties,  and  Mongol 
in  three  varieties  ?  The  Arabic  translation  is  the  property  of  the 
American  Presbyterian  Mission,  and  it  may  be  unhesitatingly 
stated,  that  they  will  allow  no  change.  The  Azerbijani  Turki 
belongs  equally  to  the  American  and  British  Bible-Societies  : 
no  change  would  be  possible.  As  regards  the  Osmanli  'lurki 
the  field  is  chiefly  occupied  by  American  Congregationalists, 
and  not  a  single  British  Missionary,  so  they  must  be  arbiters 
of  their  own  practice. 

Oh!  the  difference  between  the  great,  and  the  humble,  scholar, 
and  the  over-confident,  self-satisfied,  unscientific,  stringer  of 
sentences  ! 

The  late  Bishop  Steere  is  admitted  to  have  been  a  most 
successful  translator  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  in  the 
Swahili  language :  it  is  true,  that  he  had  not  studied  Hebrew, 
and  took  no  Arabic  with  him  to  the  African  Coast,  but  still  he 
succeeded  :  what,  however,  was  his  own  opinion  of  his  own  work  ? 

He  expressed  his  agreeable  surprise,  when  a  lessoii  was  read  from  the 
Philippians,  to  find,  that  it  seemed  ahnost  inteUigible,  but  he  attributed  this  to 
the  way,  in  which  the  reader  read  it  :  he  used  to  say,  that  he  only  published 
his  translations,  lest  others,  not  so  well  equipped,  should  translate  and  publish  : 
he  never  ranked  his  own  translations  highly,  and  he  thought  his  Swahili  unidio- 
matic,  and,  if  he  thought,  that  Missionaries  in  learning  to  speak  and  write 
Swahili,  would  rely  on  his  translations,  he  could  wish  them  all  to  be  burnt. 
All  that  he  could  do  was  to  write  the  language  with  grammatical  correctness, 
but  the  genius  of  the  language  must  not  be  sought  in  any  of  his  translations. 

Perhaps  in  such  terms  Jerome,  and  Luther,  spoke  depreciat- 
ingly of  the  works  of  their  own  brain  and  hand  :  but  Posterity 
did  not  agree  with  them  in  this  particular,  and  their  works  will 
live  for  ever  :  unless  I  am  mistaken,  the  good  Bishop's  life- 
work  will  not  soon  be  superseded. 

Then  comes  the  difficulty  of  abstract  words  :  there  is  no  doubt, 
that  the  capacity  of  the  language  could  provide  the  words,  if  the 
nature  of  the  idea  could  be  brought  home  to  the  unreflecting 
savage.  He  sees  matters  in  the  concrete,  rather  than  the 
abstract,  and  does  not  moralize.  The  word  Love  is  an  abstract 
word,  and  the  idea  of  pure  and  holy  Love,  such  as  is  conveyed 
in  the  feeling  of  man  to  his  INIaker,  and  God  to  his  creatures,  is 
unknown  to  races  in  a  low  state  of  culture.  The  translator  has 
to  feel  his  way  to  a  suitable  phrase,  and  in  one  instance  a  painful 
mistake  was  made  in  the  rendering  of  the  sentence    "  God  is 


(    70    ) 

Love."  The  writers  of  the  New  Testament  must  have  been 
greatly  exercised  in  their  choice  of  suitable  words  from  the 
current  Greek  phraseology  of  the  day,  such  words  as  a^/c'nrrj,  tt/ctt*?, 
7rpai'>j)j9,  ■Ta7reivo(ppo(Tvi'y,  in  addressing  heathens,  who  knew  no 
love  but  lust,  who  were  total  unbelievers,  who  were  fierce  to 
resent  insults,  and  considered  lowliness  of- heart  as  cowardice  in 
disguise.  Then  it  requires  a  nice  knowledge  of  a  language  to 
avoid  vulgar  or  slang  phrases  :  it  will  occur  to  any  one,  how 
distressing  it  would  be  to  find  slang  phrases  interwoven  with  the 
story  of  our  Lord.  But  another  difficulty  arises:  the  Bible, 
though  a  Divine  Message,  is  essentially  a  human  book,  localized 
to  a  region  in  a  temperate  zone,  and  the  writers  drew  their 
illustrations  from  the  scenes  around  them,  the  Fauna  and  Flora 
of  the  Country,  the  food,  the  clothing,  the  habitations,  and  the 
manners,  and  customs.  The  Natives  of  Europe  are  similarly 
situated,  and  have  been  able  to  understand  the  purport,  and 
make  allowance  for  the  slight  differences.  With  regard  to  the 
Japanese  it  was  remarked  that : 

Simplicity  of  style  and  freedom  from  Chinese  and  foreign  terms  had  been 
carefully  maintained.  The  main  difficulty  was  in  finding  satisfactory  equivalents 
for  some  names  of  animals,  birds,  insects,  trees,  flowers,  and  precious  stones  ; 
the  Hebrew  weights,  measures,  etc.,  were  simply  transliterated  into  Japanese, 
as  in  every  other  version. 

But  what  do  the  Greenlanders,  and  the  Eskimo,  and  the  Poly- 
nesians, and  Melanesians,  and  the  Jlquatorial  Africans,  know  about 
bread  and  wine,  about  fig-trees  and  sheep  .''  Their  ideas  about 
clothing  the  body,  and  habitations,  differ /«  /o/o.  The  customs  of 
Child-murder,  Cannibalism,  and  Human  Sacrifices,  as  well  as  the 
habit  of  both  sexes  going  about  stark  naked,  imply  a  state  of 
mind  differing  widely  from  that  of  the  Jews  and  Syrians.  In 
some  congregations  in  the  South  Sea  Islands  the  Yams  and  the 
Cocoa-nut  milk  take  the  place  of  bread  and  wine  in  the 
celebration  of  the  Eucharist.  Among  the  Greenlanders  the 
Moravians  are  stated  to  have  used  a  strong  analogy,  and 
described  our  Lord  as  the  "little  seal"  of  God,  as  the  con- 
ception of  a  sheep  and  lamb  was  unknown,  and  the  seal  was  to 
them  what  the  sheep  had  been  to  the  Syrians. 

I  have  said  enough  to  show  the  extreme  difficulties  of  the 
translator,  and  that  they  have  succeeded  proves  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  human  agents,  who,  following  humbly  the 
steps  of  the  Prophets  and  Evangelists,  placed  Divine  Truth  in 
the  earthen  vessels  of  poor,  perishable,  changeable,  insufficient, 
vocables,  the  distorted  reflections  of  untutored,  variable,  and 
capricious  thought. 


(  /I  ) 


Chapter  II. — Description  of  the  Languages. 

Let  me  now  glance  at  the  languages  of  the  different  Regions  of 
the  World,  and  consider  what  has  been  done,  and  what  remains 
to  be  done.  Before  any  finality  can  be  arrived  at,  we  must  know 
the  name  of  every  language,  and  every  leading  dialect  of  that 
language  :  the  exact  position  of  the  language-field  :  the  number 
of  people  using  it.  Such  statistics  have  not  yet  been  collected. 
The  difficulty  is  to  secure  one  accurate  nomenclature,  and  guard 
against  double  entries.  The  exploration  of  the  world  is  not 
completed  yet.  Our  linguistic  knowledge  is  not  yet  up  to  the 
mark.  Ingenious  people  copy  down  names,  and  put  them  into 
Alphabetic  order,  and  print  them,  but,  as  the  names  have  not 
been  tested  by  the  Geographer,  or  the  Linguist,  the  lists  are 
worthless.  It  was  truly  remarked  some  years  ago,  by  a  deceased 
Secretary  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  : 

We  may  well  dispel  the  fear,  expressed  by  some,  that  Bible-work  is 
approaching  its  end.  If  we  regard  merely  the  progress  of  Scripture-transla- 
tion, we  may  see  how  immensely  remote  is  the  end  of  our  labours.  Allowing 
that  something  has  been  effected,  we  ought  to  ask  ourselves  such  questions  as 
these  :  I.  What  proportion  does  this  number  bear  to  the  total  of  languages 
spoken  in  the  world  ?  2.  In  how  many  of  the  three  hundred  and  thirty  is  a 
mere  fragment  of  the  Bible  rendered?  and  3.  How  many  versions  are  as  yet 
only  tentative  and  rudimentary,  holding  the  ground  only  until  something  much 
more  worthy  takes  their  place?  Even  great  versions  are  likely,  in  time,  to  be 
superseded,  and  if  so,  what  changes  may  not  the  future  see  in  many  of  the 
minor  versions,  upon  which  little  or  no  scholarship  has  as  yet  been  expended? 
Besides  which,  unless  we  are  to  accept  the  labours  of  the  scholars  of  this 
generation  as  final,  who  shall  say,  that  our  children's  children  may  not  possess 
better  materials  than  we  possess  for  determining  the  wordsused  by  the  Evangelists 
and  Apostles?  and  we  may  be  sure  that,  whatever  advantage  textual  criticism 
may  give  to  them,  they  will  feel  it  their  duty  to  communicate  to  their  fellow-men 
in  all  lands,  and  every  tongue. 


I.  Europe.. 

The  languages  of  this  Continent  occupy  most  of  the  thoughts 
of  men,  but  they  are  not  in  themselves  the  most  interesting,  nor 
do  they  represent  much  linguistic  variety.  The  great  Arian,  or 
Indo-European,  procession  Westwards  from  their  primeval  home 


(       72       ) 

commenced  at  some  remote  period  of  antiquity,  and  four 
Branches  of  that  Family,  feeling  their  way  North  of  the  Caspian 
Sea,  crossed  the  River  Volga  into  Europe,  presumably  in  the 
following  order.  The  Kelt  led  the  way,  and  was  pushed  on  by 
his  following  brethren  to  the  Atlantic,  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  a 
great  many  have  been  pushed  across  the  Atlantic.  Five  separate 
languages  survive,  and  all  are  represented  by  translations  of  the 
whole  Bible:  Welsh,  Gaelic,  Erse  and  Manx,  within  the  British 
Islands,  and  Breton  in  France.  Behind  them  came  the  Teuton 
Branch,  represented  by  the  following  languages :  English,  German, 
Dutch,  Flemish,  Fries,  Danish,  Swedish,  Norse,  Icelandic,  in 
all  of  which  the  entire  Bible  has  been  published,  except  the 
Fries,  which  seems  to  be  falling  to  the  rank  of  a  District-Patois, 
and  is  represented  by  one  Gospel,  to  the  printing  of  which 
I  objected,  as  it  appeared  to  be  more  a  literary  curiosity  than 
a  vehicle  of  Gospel-truth.  Some  dialects  of  these  languages 
are  represented  by  translations :  for  instance,  the  English 
by  Surinam-Negro,  the  Danish  by  Creole-Negro:  one  Gospel 
exists  in  the  Icelandic  dialect  of  Faro  Island :  the  New 
Testament  and  Psalms  in  Judceo-German.  Behind  the  Teuton 
came  the  Lithuanic  Branch,  containing  the  Lithuanian  with  the 
Samogitian  dialect,  and  the  Lett,  and  for  their  use  the  whole 
Bible  has  been  provided.  Behind  them  came  the  Slav  Branch, 
represented  by  the  old  Slavonic,  a  liturgical  language,  the  Russ, 
Pole,  Wend,  Czeck,  Slovak.  Sloven,  Ruthen,  Serb,  with  the 
dialect  of  Carniola,  and  Bulgar.  In  some  of  these  the  entire 
Bible  has  been  prepared  :  in  the  remainder  only  portions  :  but 
several  dialects  are  also  represented.  Two  dialects  of  the 
Wend  are  used  in  Prussia,  and  another  dialect  in  Hungary. 
We  here  enter  regions,  where  the  Greek  Church  uses  one  form 
of  written  character,  and  the  Romish  another;  but  the  Bible- 
Society  supplies  both,  so  as  in  any  way  to  secure  readers. 

But  one  potent  Branch  of  the  Arian  Family  penetrated  into 
Europe  by  a  route  South  of  the  Caspian  Sea,  passed  through 
Asia  Minor,  and,  occupying  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean, 
established  a  proud  predominance  in  Art,  Arms,  and  Religion, 
which  has  never  been  surpassed  :  this  is  the  Greco-Latin  Branch, 
which  has  left  an  enduring  mark  on  the  whole  world  never  to  be 
effaced.  Two  dead  languages  represent  this  Branch  in  the  first 
line,  both  classical,  and  both  liturgical.  The  whole  Bible  exists 
in  both :  the  Old  Testament  has  been  translated  into  Greek,  and 
the  New  Testament,  in  the  inspired  original  Greek,  so  far  lives, 
that  in  Chapels  and  Schools  the  ancient  language  is  used ;  but 
the  modern  dialect,  called  Romaic,  is  represented  by  the  whole 
Bible ;  and  a  version  of  a  portion  is  in  the  Roman  character  for 
the  use  of  Greek  Roman  Catholics.  The  Greek  Priests  say,  that 
the  only  language  fit  to  convey  divine  things  is  Greek.      The 


(     73     ) 

■  Latin  language  died,  but,  like  a  Phoenix,  gave  birth  in  dying 
to  a  grand  Family  of  languages,  the  Italian,  the  Spanish,  the 
Portuguese,  the  French,  the  Romanian  of  the  Danube,  the 
Romansch  of  Switzerland  :  with  the  exception  of  the  last,  they 
are  all  represented  by  the  whole  Bible :  and  there  are  dialects, 
such  as  that  of  Vaudois,  the  Provencal,  and  Mauritius-Creole 
of  the  French :  the  Catalan,  Judaso-Spanish,  Curagoa-Negro 
of  the  Spanish :  the  Indo-Portuguese  of  the  Portuguese :  the 
Piedmont  of  the  Italian.  •  A  dialect  of  the  Romanian  is  spoken 
by  the  settlers  of  that  race  in  Macedonia:  of  the  Romansch 
there  are  three  varieties  of  the  Engadine  and  Oberland  in 
Switzerland. 

But  in  Europe  there  exist  other  languages  besides  the  Family 
of  the  Arian.  In  the  Pyrenees  the  Basque  Mountaineers  still 
speak  the  ancient  language  of  the  Cantabrians,  and  the  Bible- 
Society  has  supplied  them  with  portions  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
in  the  French,  Spanish,  and  Guipuscoa  dialects  of  that  interesting 
and  unique  language.  In  the  Turkish  Province  of  Albania  an 
isolated  language  has  survived,  and  copies  of  the  New  Testament 
have  been  supplied  in  both  the  Gheg  or  Northern,  and  the  Tosk 
or  Southern  dialect :  here  again  the  written  character  is  a 
difficulty,  political  in  this  case,  and  not  religious,  for  the  former 
is  printed  in  the  Roman,  and  the  latter  in  the  Greek  character, 
and  an  attempt  has  now  been  made  to  form  a  National  Alphabet 
to  supersede  both.  To  this  must  be  added  the  Gitano  or  Gypsy. 
There  remain  in  Europe  the  languages  of  the  Ural-Altaic 
Family.  First  in  order  is  the  Finn  Branch,  containing  Magyar 
of  Hungary;  Finn;  Lapp  in  three  dialects,  according  to  the 
kingdom,  in  which  they  are  situated,  Norwegian,  Swedish,  and 
Russian ;  Esthon  in  the  two  dialects  of  Dorpat  and  Reval ; 
LivonorLiv;  Karel;  SirjinorZir;  Perm;  Mordwin  ;  Cheremissi 
in  two  dialects  ;  and  Wotyak.  The  entire  Bible,  or  portions,  have 
been  supplied  to  these  populations. 

Next  comes  the  Turki  Branch,  containing  Chuvash,  Kazan, 
Nogai  in  two  dialects,  and  Kirghiz  in  the  Kazak  dialect. 
Portions  of  the  Scriptures  have  been  supplied  to  all.  I  reserve 
the  Osmanli  Turki,  though  the  language  of  authority  in  Turkey 
in  Europe,  for  the  catalogue  of  Asiatic  Languages,  where  it  is 
the  Vernacular. 


2.  Asia. 

I  have  divided  this  Continent  into  nine  language-Fields,  for 
purposes  of  convenience  of  description  rather  than  according  to 
laws  of  Science. 


(     74     ) 

I.  Semitic. 
II.  Ural-Altaic. 

III.  Caucasus. 

IV,  Arian. 

V.  Non-Arian  of  India. 
VI.  Indo-China. 
VII.  Malaysia. 
IX.  Extreme  Orient. 

In  the  Semitic  Field  the  Bible  Societies  supply  the  whole 
Bible  in  Arabic :  a  portion  is  supplied  in  Hebrew  character  for 
the  use  of  Jews,  and  in  Syriac  characters  for  the  use  of  the 
Syrian  Church  ;  the  entire  Bible  is  also  supplied  in  Syriac  in  its 
ancient  dialect,  being  liturgical,  and  portions  in  the  modern 
dialect,  spoken  in  Urumiah  in  Persia.  A  translation  of  the  New 
Testament  into  Hebrew  has  been  made  by  Dr.  Delitzsch  :  two 
other  translations  exist,  and  are  preferred  by  some. 

Of  the  Ural-Altaic  Family  there  are  five  Branches  :  I.  Finn  ; 
II.  Turki ;  III.  Mongol;  IV.  Tungus;  V.  Samoyed :  the  last 
is  not  represented  by  any  translation. 

In  the  Finn  Branch,  a  portion  of  which  I  have  already 
noticed  in  Europe,  I  find  Ostyak  and  Wogul  in  Russia:  in  each 
of  these  there  has  been  prepared  a  single  Gospel. 

In  the  great  Turki  Branch,  which  extends  across  Asia  from 
the  Chinese  Frontier  to  the  Balkan  INIountains,  and  from  the 
Arctic  Circle  to  the  Caspian,  I  find  five  varieties  of  the  Turki 
Language  represented,  the  Osmanli,  the  Trans-Caucasian  or 
Azerbijani,  the  Trans-Caspian  or  Jaghatai,  spoken  by  the  Tekke 
of  Merv,  the  Kirghiz  in  the  Kara  dialect,  the  Kumik,  and  the 
Uzbek  or  Sart,  spoken  at  Khiva.  The  New  Testament,  or  single 
books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  are  supplied  in  the  less- 
known  languages,  but  the  whole  Bible  in  the  Osmanli  Turki, 
with  an  edition  in  the  Greek  character  for  the  benefit  of  Greek 
Christians,  who  use  the  Osmanli  language,  but  conserve  their 
own  character,  and  another  edition  for  the  Armenians,  who  use 
the  Osmanli  language,  but  conserve  the  Armenian  character. 
With  the  exception  of  the  Osmanli,  all  these  tribes  are  Russian 
subjects. 

The  Mongol  Branch  is  represented  by  the  entire  Bible  in  the 
Mongol  literary  dialect,  and  the  New  Testament  both  in  the 
Manchu,  and  Mongol,  characters,  to  suit  different  classes  of 
readers:  one  or  two  Gospels  are  supplied  in  the  three  varieties 
of  the  colloquial,  the  Northern,  or  Buriat,  in  Russia,  the 
Southern,  or  Kalkhas,  in  China,  the  Western,  or  Kalmuk,  in  Russia. 

The  Tungus  Branch  is  represented  by  the  Manchu  in  China. 

In  the  Caucasus  Field  we  find  one  language  only,  the  Georgian, 
with  the  same  version  in  the  Ecclesiastical  written  character,  and 
also  in  the  ordinary  character.      Much  has  still  to  be  done  to 


(    75     ) 

-bring  the  Bible  to  the  wild  races  secluded  in  these  mountain- 
fastnesses. 

In  the  Field  of  the  Iran  Branch  of  the  Arian  Family,  which 
occupies  the  centre  of  Asia,  we  find  the  Persian,  the  Armenian, 
the  Kurd,  the  Oss6t  in  the  Caucasus  Mountains,  the  Pastu  of 
Afghanistan,  and  the  Baluchi.  The  whole  Bible  is  supplied  in  the 
first  two :  in  the  latter  of  the  two  are  three  distinct  dialects, 
the  Ancient,  which  is  liturgical :  the  Modern  dialect  in  the  form 
spoken  in  Asia  Minor  in  Turkey,  and  a  distinct  ruder  dialect  in 
the  Russian  Province  of  Trans-Caucasia.  In  the  other  languages 
of  this  Branch  portions  only  are  supplied,  but  the  whole  Bible 
will  gradually  be  completed  in  the  Pastu  and  Baluchi,  which  are 
extensively  spoken  on  the  frontier  of  British  India.  The  four 
Gospels  are  supplied  in  Persian  in  Hebrew  character  for  the  use 
of  the  Jews. 

In  the  Field  of  the  Indie  Branch  of  the  Arian  Family  I 
find  an  unequalled  wealth  of  languages,  and  of  Bible-Work.  By 
the  Grace  of  God  we  have  been  enabled  to  give  of  our  best  to 
the  people  of  India.  The  whole  Bible  is  published  in  the  dead 
and  liturgical  language  of  Sanskrit,  and  the  living  languages  of 
the  Panjabi  in  the  Gurmukhi  character,  the  Hindi,  and  its 
magnificent  dialect  Hindustani,  or  Urdu,  which  is  the  Itnoua 
franca  of  India,  in  Bangali,  Asami,  Maghadi,  Uriya,  Marathi, 
Gujarati,  and  Sinhali  of  Ceylon.  Half  a  century  ago  a  great 
number  of  tentative  translations  were  made  in  dialects  of 
Hindi,  but  being  of  no  practical  importance,  they  are  omitted, 
as  being  obsolete  :  on  the  other  hand,  portions  of  the  Scripture 
are  available  in  Kashmiri,  Multani,  Sindhi,  Nepali,  and  in  Pali, 
the  dead  and  liturgical  language  of  the  Buddhists.  We  find 
translations  in  dialects  of  the  IMahometans  of  Bangali,  the 
Katchi  of  Sindhi.  the  Konkani  of  Marathi,  the  Dakhani,  Marwari, 
and  Pahari  of  Hindi,  the  Dogri,  and  Chambali  of  Panjabi,  the 
Parsi  of  Gujarati.  Some  versions  are  in  the  Roman  character : 
some  in  the  peculiar  variety  of  the  Indian  character  belonging 
to  the  language. 

In  Southern  and  Central  India  I  find  the  same  phenomena  in 
the  Field  of  the  Non-Arians  of  India.  There  are  four  Sub- 
divisions. Of  the  Dravidian  Subdivision  there  are  four  lordly 
languages,  the  Tamil,  Telugu,  Karnata,  Malayalim,  and  the 
whole  Bible  is  supplied  in  all  four.  In  the  minor  languages 
of  the  Tulu,  the  Badaga,  the  Gond  with  its  dialect  the  Koi,  the 
Rajmahali,  there  are  more  or  less  considerable  portions  in 
various  characters  according  to  the  requirements.  Of  the  second 
Non-Arian  Subdivision,  the  Kolarian,  I  find  the  Psalms,  Four 
Gospels,  and  the  Acts,  in  the  Roman  character  in  the  Mandari 
or  Kol,  and  the  Sontal.  In  the  third  Non-Arian  Subdivision, 
the  Tibeto-Barman,  I  find  the  Lepcha  of  Sikhim,  the  INIanipur, 


(     76     ) 

the  languages  of  Tibet,  and  Barma,  the  Karen  in  three  dialects. 
In  all  these  languages  large  portions  are  available,  each  in  the 
character  understood  by  the  people.  In  the  fourth  and  last 
Non-Arian  Subdivision  one  isolated  Language,  the  Khasi, 
possesses  the  New  Testament  and  the  Pentateuch. 

Passing  Eastward  of  British  India,  I  enter  the  Indo-Chinese 
Field,  with  two  Subdivisions,  each  represented  by  translations : 
the  Tai  by  the  language  of  Siam,  and  the  languages  of  Laos,  and 
of  the  Shan  :  the  Mon-Anam  by  the  j\Ion,  spoken  in  Pegu,  within 
the  Province  of  British  Barma.  I  now  turn  South  and  enter  the 
Indian  Archipelago,  or  Malaysia,  Field.  The  Region  of  Malaysia 
must  be  distinguished  sharply  from  that  of  Oceania,  though  they 
are  often  blended  together :  they  have  scant  philological,  and 
no  political,  connection,  and  only  a  slight  and  partial  ethnical 
affinity.  Malaysia  is  unquestionably  in  Asia :  Oceania  is  a 
separate  part  of  the  world.  The  important  language  of  Malay 
is  spoken  as  a  lingua  franca  over  the  region,  and  specially  in 
the  Peninsula  of  Malacca,  and  the  great  Island  of  Sumatra. 
There  exists  a  translation  of  the  whole  Bible  in  IMalay  in  the 
Roman  character,  and  another  in  the  Arabic  :  portions  are 
translated  in  the  Sourabaya  or  "  low  Malay  "  Dialect.  In  the 
Island  of  Java  portions  are  published  in  the  language,  called  that 
of  Java,  and  also  in  that  of  Sunda.  A  translation  is  published 
in  the  language  of  the  adjacent  Island  of  Bali,  and  one  Gospel 
in  the  separate  language  of  the  little  Island  of  Nias.  In  the 
interior  of  the  Island  of  Sumatra  there  are  tribes,  who  have 
conserved  their  own  language,  the  Batta,  and  portions  of  the 
Scriptures  are  supplied  to  them  in  two  dialects  in  their  peculiar 
character.  The  Uyak  of  Borneo  in  two  dialects,  and  the  Macassar 
and  Bugi  tribe  of  Celebes,  and  the  Alfuor,  have  not  been  forgotten, 
and  the  whole  or  portions  of  the  New  Testament  have  been 
supplied.  For  the  inhabitants  of  the  Sangi'r  Islands  a  version 
of  the  Psalms,  and  New  Testament,  has  been  published,  and 
a  translation  in  one  of  the  languages  of  the  Philippines,  the 
Pangasina ;  thence  doubling  back  to  the  Bay  of  Bangal,  in  the 
Islands  of  Nicobar  I  find  the  Gospel  of  St.  Mark  in  preparation, 
and  the  Lord's  Prayer  in  the  Bojingijida  language  of  the  Anda- 
mans,  actually  published  by  a  private  individual.  To  this  Field 
belongs  the  translation  in  one  of  the  languages  spoken  by  the 
aborigines  in  the  Island  of  Formosa,  in  China. 

The  supply  of  Bibles  to  the  great  Kingdom  of  China  might 
well  require  a  separate  Bible-Society,  for  in  addition  to  the  great 
Delegates  version,  or  Wen  Li,  of  the  whole  Bible,  which  is  in 
the  Classical  or  Book  language  of  China,  and  of  no  use  to 
the  uneducated  masses,  but,  owing  to  the  character,  '-n  which  it 
is  written,  intelligible  to  the  educated  speakers  of  all  the  different 
colloquial  forms  of  speech  of  China,  I  find  portions  both  in 


(     77    ) 

the  Northern  and  Southern  Mandarin,  or  official  language,  and 
in  the  colloquial  vernaculars  of  Shanghai,  Ningpo,  Kinhwa, 
Canton,  Hakka,  Fuh-Chau,  Amoy,  Chau-Chau,  and  Hainan, 
sometimes  in  ideographs  adapted  phonetically,  and  sometimes 
in  the  Roman  character.  The  actual  colloquials  were  quite  a 
novelty,  as  the  Chinese  scholar  never  dreamt  of  writing  a  book, 
or  even  a  letter,  in  the  colloquial  or  patois  of  a  place  :  hardly  a 
specimen  existed  before  the  colloquial  versions  of  the  New 
Testament  appeared.  Thus  in  China,  as  in  Great  Britain  and 
in  India,  and  in  Africa,  America,  and  Oceania,  the  appearance  of 
the  Bible  has  settled,  and  strengthened,  and  fixed  in  print,  the 
oral  Vernacular  of  the  people.  It  will  be  long  before  the  united 
force  of  the  Bible-Societies  will  be  able  to  make  any  soHd 
impression  on  the  vast  and  inert  mass,  and  the  people  of  China 
will  go  on  absorbing  vast  supplies  of  the  Scriptures  for  many 
generations.  Beyond  China  is  the  Field  of  the  Extreme  Orient, 
and  the  whole  Bible  is  ready  in  the  language  of  Japan,  and 
portions  in  the  languages  of  the  Liichu,  the  Aleutian  Islands, 
and  the  Kor6a,  each  in  their  peculiar  written  character.  A 
translation  of  a  Gospel  in  Aino  is  prepared.  This  ends  the 
story  of  Asia.  It  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in 
our  eyes. 


3.  Africa. 

In  the  Dark  Continent  ever  since  the  days  of  Aristotle  there 
has  been  found 

AIEI  Tl  KAINON 

always  something  new,  something  strange,  something  un- 
expected, and  unique,  Pyramids  and  Obelisks,  Snow-capped 
Mountains  on  the  Equator,  and  Imperial  Rivers ;  in  one  part 
of  the  Continent  the  language  is  so  diverse,  that  near  neighbours 
cannot  understand  each  other ;  in  another  part  one  great  Family 
of  more  than  a  hundred  congeners,  marvellous  in  symmetry,  and 
capable  of  expressing  from  their  own  word-store  every  shade  of 
human  thought.  In  that  Continent  we  find  populations  cheer- 
fully flourishing  under  oppression,  which  would  have  extinguished 
any  other  ;  boundless  prairies,  unlimited  capabilities  ;  thousands 
of  miles  of  water-way;  Cannibalism,  Human  Sacrifices,  deadly 
sorcery,  grotesque  customs,  and  abominable  crimes.  Last 
century  Europeans  were  content  to  play  the  part  of  man- 
stealers,  and  traffickers  in  black  ivory :  in  this  century  the 
scramble  for  Africa  itself  has  commenced,  the  most  shameful 
spoliation,  and  heartless  conspiracy  to  destroy  the  souls  and 
bodies  of  millions  by  the  boundless  import  of  spirituous  liquors, 


(     /S     ) 

arms,  and  gunpowder.  It  is  well  indeed,  that  the  Religious 
world,  of  every  Protestant  sect  and  denomination,  has  striven 
to  supply  the  only  antidote,  the  Bible,  and  give  the  African  a 
chance  of  Education,  Civilization,  and  Salvation,  physically  as 
well  as  spiritually. 

The  Bible-Societies  have  not  been  fourid  wanting.  Of  the 
Semitic  Family  of  languages.  Editions  of  the  Ancient  Ethiopic, 
and  the  Modern  Vernaculars  of  Amhara  and  Tigre  have  been 
supplied  to  the  people  of  Abyssinia.  Of  the  Hamitic  Group,  the 
Bible  has  been  published  in  whole  or  in  part  in  the  dead  and 
liturgical  language  of  the  Koptic,  and  progress  is  being  made 
in  translations  for  the  benefit  of  the  Kabail  of  Algeria,  and  the 
Shilha  of  INIorocco  in  the  Riff  dialect.  For  the  Hamitic  tribes 
of  Abyssinia  portions  have  been  published  in  the  language  of 
the  Bilin,  alias  Bogos,  and  the  dialect  of  Agau,  spoken  by  the 
Falasha  Jews,  who  occupy  the  anomalous  position  of  not  being 
Semites  either  in  blood  or  in  speech.  For  Galla-land,  that  com- 
paratively unknown  Region  South  of  Abyssinia,  portions  of  the 
Old  Testament  and  the  New  Testament  are  ready  in  three 
dialects.  Of  the  Nuba-Fulah  Group,  the  Gospel  of  St.  Mark, 
in  the  Fadidja  dialect  of  the  Nuba,  prepared  by  Professor 
Lepsius,  has  been  published  in  the  Arabic  and  Roman  character, 
and  a  translation  of  a  Gospel  in  the  Futa-Toro  dialect  of  the 
Fulah  is  in  MS. 

For  the  Negro  Group,  in  the  long  belt  of  country  from  the  Nile 
to  the  Atlantic,  North  of  the  Equator,  the  following  translations 
have  been  put  into  circulation  at  the  different  Missionary  Stations, 
being  read  in  the  Chapels,  and  taught  in  the  Sunday-Schools  : 
the  Wolof  in  Senegambia,  the  Susu  on  the  River  Gambia,  the 
INIande,  Temne,  BuUom  and  Mende  South  of  that  River,  aad 
round  the  Colony  of  Sierra  Leone :  the  Grebo  in  Liberia,  the 
Ashanti  in  two  dialects,  the  Akwapem  and  Fanti,  the  Akra  or 
Ga,  the  Ew6  in  two  dialects,  the  Anlo  and  Dahomi,  alias  Popo, 
on  the  Gold  Coast,  the  Yariba  in  Yariba-land,  the  Ibo,  Igara, 
Igbira,  and  Nupe  in  the  Basin  of  the  Niger,  the  Hausa  in  Central 
Africa,  and  the  Efik  on  the  Old  Kalabar  River.  Some  of  these 
languages  are  spoken  by  Millions  :  translations  in  other  languages 
are  in  preparation  :  printing  presses  are  at  work  in  several  of  the 
Missions,  and  it  is  a  struggle  for  life  betwi.xt  the  Bible  and  the  Gin- 
bottle,  the  devoted  Missionary  and  the  unscrupulous  trader ; 
while  the  European  Governments,  whether  Protestant  or  Roman 
Catholic,  look  on  with  perfect  indifference,  and  cold  impartiality, 
making  no  attempts  to  control  crime  in  their  nominal  Pro- 
tectorates, or  Spheres  of  Influence,  which  are  mere  "  Dog  in  the 
manger"  arrangements. 

South  of  the  Equator  is  the  great  Bantu  Family  of  languages, 
with  translations  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  in  whole  or  in  part, 


(     79     ) 

•in  the  Dualla  and  the  Isubu  of  the  Kameruns,  the  Ediya  of  the 
Island  of  Fernando  Po,  the  Benga,  the  Kele,  and  the  Pongwe  of 
the  River  Gabun,  the  Kongo,  Tek6  and  Nkundu  of  the  Kongo 
Basin,  the  Umbundu  of  Benguella,  and  Kimbundu  of  Angola,  in 
the  Portuguese  West  African  Colony,  the  Herero  of  Damara-land, 
the  Chuana,  Pedi,  and  Suto  of  the  tribes  South  of  the  River  Vaal, 
the  Siga,  alias  Tonga,  of  Inhambane,  the  Xosa  of  Kafraria,  the 
Zulu  of  Zulu-land,  the  Gwamba  of  the  Transvaal,  the  Nyanja, 
Ngoni,  and  Tonga  of  Lake  Nyassa,  the  Yao  and  the  Makua  of 
the  region  behind  the  Portuguese  Colony-  of  Mozambik,  the 
Kaguru  of  U-Sagara,  the  Swahili,  the  lingua  fra7ica  of  Eastern 
Equatorial  Africa,  the  Bondei,  the  Nyika  of  Mombasa,  the 
Kamba,  the  Gogo,  the  Ganda  of  Victoria  Nyanza  on  the  Equator, 
and  the  Giihha  on  Lake  Tanganyika.  iNIany  of  the  languages 
are  spoken  by  hundreds  of  thousands,  strong,  symmetrical  and 
melodious,  a  marvel  to  the  Philologist.  Some  of  these  transla- 
tions are  only  in  progress,  or  being  used  in  Manuscript,  or  in  the 
rough  proofs  of  the  Mission  Press.  In  a  few  years  the  number 
will  be  greatly  increased. 

In  the  Hottentot-Bushman  Group  only  one  translation  has 
been  prepared,  in  the  Nama  of  Namaqua-land,  and  the  com- 
pletion of  that  was  arrested  by  the  assertion  of  some,  disputed 
by  others,  that  the  Native  language  was  being  superseded  by  a 
dialect  of  Dutch.  However,  it  has  lately  been  determined,  that 
the  whole  translation  should  be  printed.  The  objection  to 
printing  a  translation  in  the  Cape-dialect  of  Dutch  has  not  yet 
been  got  over. 

The  entire  Bible  has  been  published  in  the  Malagasi,  Lhe 
ruling  language  of  IMadagascar  ;  it  belongs  to  the  Malayan 
Family  of  Asiatic  languages. 

In  Africa  lies  the  greatest  hope  of  expansion  in  the  Future  . 
in  the  present  state  of  our  knowledge  no  limit  can  be  fixed.  It 
must  be  expected,  that  some  great  languages  will  swallow  up  the 
smaller  and  weaker :  and  the  ravages  of  the  Slave-Trade  result, 
not  only  in  the  depopulation  of  districts,  but  the  extinction 
of  languages.  The  Missionaries  sometimes  unwisely  try  to 
force  upon  a  tribe,  which  has  a  good  Vernacular  of  its  own,  the 
use  of  one,  which  he  himself  understands. 


4.  America. 

America  represents  a  new  and  distinct  world  of  languages, 
not  like  the  languages  of  Africa,  strong  and  vigorous,  and  likely 
to  last  forever,  but  poor,  shrinking  and  decaying.  The  languages 
of  Europe,  such  as  the  English,  French,  Spanish  and  Portuguese, 
have  brought  an  influence  to  bear,  which  these  weak  languages, 


(     80     ) 

and  diminishing  populations,  will  be  unable  to  resist.  In  the 
Arctic  Regions  is  the  Eskimo,  extending  from  the  Pacific  to  the 
Atlantic,  and  to  Greenland  :  the  entire  Bible  has  been  published 
in  one  dialect,  and  the  greater  part  in  two  other  dialects.  On 
the  Pacific  translations  have  been  lately  made  by  the  Missionaries 
in  the  language  of  the  Shimshi  Indians  of  Metlakatla,  and  Kwa- 
gutl  of  Vancouver's  Island,  the  Nishkah  of  the  River  Naas,  and 
Hydah  of  Queen  Charlotte's  Island.  I  come  next  to  the  great 
Athabaska  Family.  Five  languages  are  represented,  the  Tinne, 
Chipewan,  Slave,  the  language  of  the  Indians  of  the  River 
Beaver,  Tukudh,  alias  Loucheux  Indian,  beyond  Fort  Simpson, 
in  the  Province  of  Alaska,  and  the  Blackfoot  of  Saskatchewan. 
Proceeding  Southward  I  come  among  the  different  branches  of 
the  Algonquin  Family,  and  there  are  translations  of  parts,  or  of 
the  whole,  of  the  Bible  in  the  Cree  language  in  two  Dialects,  the 
Ojibwa,  the  Mikmak  of  Nova  Scotia,  with  its  dialect  Abenaqui : 
the  Maliseet  of  New  Brunswick,  the  Delaware,  and  Ney  Perces. 
Of  the  Iroquois  Family,  the  Bible-Society  has  prepared  a  portion 
of  the  Scriptures  for  the  Iroquois  proper,  the  Mohawk  and  the 
Seneka.  Considerable  portions  are  also  available  to  the  Dakota, 
or  Sioux  Indians.  Of  the  Floridian  or  Appalaquian  Indians  of 
the  Southern  States  an  opportunity  of  studying  the  Word  of  God 
in  their  own  Vernacular  has  been  supplied  to  the  Choctaw,  the 
Cheroki,  and  the  Muskoki,  or  Creek  Indians, 

Passing  down  into  Central  and  Southern  America,  there  is  but 
a  scanty  show,  as  the  influence  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Priests 
has  choked  the  Gospel.  In  the  Maya  of  Yukatan,  there  are  two 
Gospels,  and  one  Gospel  in  the  Aztek  of  Mexico ;  one  Gospel 
exists  in  MS.  of  the  language  of  the  JMoskito  Indians.  In  South 
Guiana  there  exist  translations  of  portions  in  the  Karib,  Akkaway, 
and  Arawak:  one  Gospel  represents  the  Quichua  Language  in 
Peru,  and  Aimara  in  13olivia.  A  Gospel  is  preparing  in  the 
Guarani  of  Paraguay,  a  language  said  to  be  the  Vernacular  of  half 
a  million,  but  this  is  disputed  by  others.  Far  to  the  South,  not 
far  from  the  Antarctic  Circle,  is  the  Lone  Star-]\Iission  of  the 
Bishop  of  the  Falkland  Islands,  and  the  Gospels  and  the  Acts 
have  been  gladly  supplied  from  London  to  Tierra  del  Fuego 
for  the  tribe  of  the  Yahgan.  Thus,  from  the  Arctic  to  the 
Antarctic  Circle  something,  though  not  sufficient,  has  been  done 
to  publish  the  Word  of  God,  and  it  is  worthy  of  note,  that  in 
that  vast  extent  of  country  there  is  reason  to  believe,  from  the 
obvious  coincidences  of  the  Grammatical  structure  of  the 
languages,  in  spite  of  the  difference  of  the  Word-store,  that  we 
are  dealing  with  one  Branch  of  the  Human  Family. 


(    8i     ) 


5.     Oceania. 

The  World  is  generally  considered  to  consist  of  four  Con- 
tinents, but  lying  outside  them  in  the  bosom  of  the  Pacific  are 
fairy  regions,  secluded  gardens  of  the  Ocean,  where  Day  never 
shuts  her  eye :  regions,  which  were  dreamt  of  by  the  Poet  Horace : 

Nos  manet  Oceanus  circumvagus  :  Arv'a  beata, 
Petamus  arva,  divites  et  Insulas. 

In  later  days  Tennyson  has  described  them  in  a  few  wondrous 
lines  : 

there  to  wander  far  away 
On  from  island  unto  island  at  the  gateways  of  the  Day, 
Larger  constellations  burning,  mellow  moons,  and  happy  skies, 
Breadth  of  tropic  shade,  and  palms  in  cluster,  knots  of  Paradise  : 
Never  comes  the  trader,  never  floats  an  European  flag. 
Slides  the  bird  o'er  lustrous  woodland,  swings  the  trailer  from  the  crag  : 
Droops  the  heavy-blossomed  bovver,  hangs  the  heavy-fruited  tree. 
Summer  isles  of  Eden  lying  in  dark  purple  spheres  of  sea. 

These  regions  have  been  marked  by  frightful  crimes. 
Cannibalism,  Human  Sacrifice,  Sorcery,  and  by  the  murders  of 
Cook  and  La  Perouse,  the  explorers,  and  John  Williams,  Gordon, 
and  Patteson,  the  Missionaries.  Yet  God  did  not  leave  for  ever 
these  lands  without  a  witness,  and  at  the  close  of  last  century 
Missionaries  found  their  way  to  Tahiti  from  England  :  later  on 
Hawaii  and  Mikronesia  were  occupied  by  an  American  Mission  : 
soon  after  New  Zealand  was  evangelized  from  England,  as  well 
as  Samoa,  Fiji,  the  Loyalty  Islands,  the  New  Hebrides,  Banks' 
Islands,  Santa  Cruz,  Solomon  Islands,  and  New  Guinea.  Never 
since  the  days  of  Pentecost  had  there  been  so  plentiful  an  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit,  for  God  chose  men  from  the  humblest  to  be 
his  Messengers,  and  the  Divine  method  of  sending  out  Native 
Teachers  two  and  two  to  Evangelize  their  own  countrymen  was 
adopted  with  wonderful  success  by  all  Protestant  Denominations. 
Those,  who  have  travelled  in  tropical  climates,  know,  how  at 
night  the  ship  leaves  behind  it  a  long  and  broad  brilliant  furrow 
of  light,  marking  for  many  leagues  the  course,  which  'has  been 
taken.  Such  is  the  light  left  behind  in  their  annual  visits  by  the 
Missionary  Ships,  the  John  Williams,  the  Wesley,  the  Southern 
Cross,  and  the  Dayspring,  the  memories  of  unselfish  acts  of 
kindness,  devotion  to  the  best  interests  of  the  islanders,  and  the 
desire  to  elevate  them,  and  protect  them  from  their  own  cruel 
customs,  and  from  the  cruel  trader  and  man-stealer.  Among 
the  earliest  efforts  has  been  the  translation  of  the  Bible  in  the 
languages  of  these  Islands,  and  the  versions  thus  published  came 

PART   I.  6 


(     82     ) 

upon  the  scholars  of  Europe  with  all  the  freshness  of  a  new 
Revelation.  There  are  four  Regions  :  I.  Polynesia,  in  which, 
including  Hawaii  North  of  the  Equator,  and  New  Zealand  far 
to  the  South,  all  the  languages  belong  to  one  Family;  II. 
Melanesia,  including  New  Guinea,  where  there  was  a  multiplicity 
of  totally  distinct  languages  ;  III.  Mikronesia,  where  only  a  few 
languages  have  been  investigated  ;  IV.  Australia,  where  the 
aborigines  seem  to  have  been  neglected,  and  a  scanty  instruction 
conveyed  in  English,  though  still  there  are  many  Native 
Languages,  In  the  first  region  we  have  translations  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  in  the  languages  of  Tahiti,  Rarotonga,  the 
IMarquesas,  Hawaii,  Samoa,  Nine,  Tonga,  and  Maori.  In  the 
second  Region  we  find  Fiji,  Rotuma,  INIare  or  Nengone,  Lifu, 
Uvea,  Aneityum,  Tanna,  Nguna,  Mai,  Futuna,  Erromanga,  Aniwa, 
Fate,  Mota,  Arag,  Oba,  Maewo,  Espirito  Santo,  Wano  :  Florida, 
Isabel,  Murray  Island,  South  Cape,  Saibai,  Mafor,  Motu, 
New  Britain,  and  Duke  of  York's  Island.  In  some  the  portions 
translated  are  very  small,  but  they  are  the  first  eff"orts.  Of  the 
third  or  Mikronesian  Group  there  are  five  languages  represented, 
Kusaie  in  Strong  Island,  Ebon  in  Marshall  Islands,  the  language 
of  the  Gilbert  Islands,  Ponape,  and  the  Mortlock  Islands.  Of 
the  fourth,  or  Australian  Region,  there  is  but  one  representative, 
the  Narrinyeri,  and  so  entirely  out  of  circulation,  that  I  cannot 
get  a  copy.  In  Tasmania  all  the  aborigines  have  been  killed 
down,  and,  alas  !  left  no  portion  of  the  Scriptures  as  their 
Epitaph,  and  Memento. 

With  this  entry  closes  the  detail  of  the  great  work  of  the 
great  Bible-Societies.     Laus  Deo  1 

As  already  stated,  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  prepare  the  IMS.  of  the 
original  translation,  or  of  the  revised  translation,  ready  for  the  Press : 
then  arises  the  question  as  to  the  form  of  written  character,  which 
ought  to  be  used,  the  type,  the  paper,  the  size  of  the  type  and 
of  the  paper,  the  place  of  printing,  the  alternative  readings,  the 
marginal  references,  the  use  of  Capital  letters  for  such  words,  as 
the  Divine  Name,  the  Maps,  the  Title-Page,  the  Binding,  and 
lastly  the  Price.  When  all  these  points  have  been  settled,  then 
comes  the  great  problem  of  Distribution.  This  feature  distin- 
guishes the  proceedings  of  the  Bible-Societies  from  that  of  any 
other  Publishing,  or  Wholesale  Firm,  in  any  time  Past  or  Present. 
It  does  not  condescend  to  advertise,  but  it  sends  its  wares  to  every 
part  of  the  world,  consigned  to  its  Agent  or  local  Committee, 
whose  task  it  is  to  distribute  from  town  to  town,  and  village  to 
village,  and  man  to  man.  The  System  grew  up  so  simply,  and 
on  such  well-understood  lines,  that  it  appears  simple,  though  it 
is  in  reality  a  most  complicated  machinery.  Enter  the  Ware- 
houses  of  the   great    Bible-House   in    Queen    Victoria    Street 


(     ^3     ) 

"in  London,  or  the  Bible-House  in  Astor  Place,  New  York,  U.S., 
and  you  will  find  cases  ready  packed,  and  directed  to  every 
portion  of  the  world.  Infinite  as  are  the  directions,  to  which 
the  wares  are  sent,  manifold  as  are  the  forms,  which  those  wares 
assume,  it  is  the  same  Pearl  of  great  price,  which  the  merchant- 
man, who  sought  such  wares,  found  at  last,  and  went  and  sold 
all  that  he  had  and  bought  it ;  it  is  the  same  leaven,  which 
a  woman  took,  aad  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole 
was  leavened :  it  is  the  same  good  seed,  which  a  man  sowed  in 
his  field.  At  the  other  end  of  the  world,  and  in  every  great  City 
of  the  world,  there  are  Auxiliary  Societies,  and  Agents,  and 
Depots,  and  Colporteurs,  and  Bible-Evangelists,  and  Bible- 
Women,  who  receive  these  precious  wares,  and  convey  them,  at 
the  risk  of  life,  health,  and  comfort,  from  town  to  town,  from 
village  to  village,  from  house  to  house,  and  from  room  to  room 
in  crowded  family-mansions.  Listeners  are  assembled  on  the 
lone  hill-side,  or  in  the  crowded  street,  and  family  circles  gather 
together  apart  from  the  public  gaze  :  thus  arhidst  the  din  of 
the  market,  amidst  the  braying  of  the  soldier's  trumpet,  in  the 
recesses  of  the  secret  harem,  in  the  public  classes  of  the  school, 
in  the  great  gatherings  together  of  thousands  for  the  worship 
of  false  Gods,  or  the  obedience  to  false  Prophets;  in  front  of  the 
Propaganda,  and  St.  Peter's,  at  Rome  :  under  the  Dome  of  the 
Greek  Cathedral  at  Moscow :  at  the  door  of  the  tomb  of  our 
Lord  at  Jerusalem,  and  the  place  of  His  birth  at  Bethlehem  :  on 
the  steps  of  the  great  Hindu  bathing-places  on  the  Ganges  at 
Banaras :  under  the  shadow  of  the  gigantic  statues  of  Buddha 
in  Ceylon,  and  Barma ;  in  the  Joss-house  in  China;  in  the 
Courts  of  the  Jama  Masjid  at  Dehli ;  in  the  inclosures,  set  apart 
for  Human  sacrifice  to  hideous  Idols  in  the  Islands  of  Polynesia: 
in  sight  of  many  a  Heathen,  or  Mahometan,  shrine;  many  a 
sealed  Roman  Catholic  Convent ;  the  old  old  Story  is  read  out 
to  each  man  in  his  own  tongue,  how  God  made  and  rules  the 
world,  how  Jesus  lived  and  died  for  all,  how  the  Holy  Spirit 
still  watches  over  His  elect ! 

From  the  earliest  period  of  the  History  of  Man  we  find  indica- 
tions of  the  difference  of  forms  of  speech  :  what  was  the  real 
meaning  of  the  Confusion  of  Tongues  at  the  time  of  the  Tower 
of  Babel  I  cannot  say :  what  was  the  precise  nature  of  the 
Pentecostal  effusion  of  the  gift  of  Tongues  is  equally  uncertain  : 
at  any  rate,  the  detail  of  the  languages  spoken  and  understood 
on  that  memorable  occasion,  enables  us  to  perceive,  that  they 
belonged  to  a  region,  to  which  the  expression  "H  oiKov/nevii  onlv 
applies,  as  a  figure  of  speech.  We  gather  the  fact  of  a  diff'erentia- 
tion  of  dialect  in  the  anecdote,  connected  with  the  pronunciation 
of  the  word  "Shibboleth,"  mentioned  in  the  Book  of  Judges; 
and  later  on,  we  find,  that  the  Assyrians,  who  besieged  Jerusalem, 


(     84    ) 

used  a  language  distinct  from,  though  kindred  to,  the  language 
of  the  Jews.  We  find  the  use  of  the  Chaldee  creeping  into 
the  Book  of  Daniel.  The  words,  uttered  by  our  Lord  on  the 
Cross,  tell  us,  that  the  Hebrew  had  given  way  to  an  Aramaic 
language,  and  Greek  had  become  the  dominant  language  at  the 
Christian  era,  and  most  fortunately  so,  for  St.  Paul's  arguments 
could  not  have  been  so  precisely  stated  in  any  Semitic 
form  of  speech.  In  the  Revelation  we  find  the  Almighty 
condescending  to  illustrate  his  All-comprehensiveness  by  a 
comparison  with  the  first  and  last  letters  of  the  Greek  alphabet. 
As  some  measure  of  the  increase  of  our  knowledge  of  the  Science 
of  Language  during  this  century,  I  may  state,  that  men  no  longer 
with  our  forefathers  believe,  that  Hebrew  was  the  INIother-tongue 
of  Human  speech,  and  the  language  of  Paradise.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  work  of  the  Bible-Societies  has  convinced  all  of  the 
absurdity  of  the  opinion,  expressed  in  1778  by  an  Orientalist, 
that  no  translation  of  the  Bible  could  possibly  be  made  into  the 
language  of  China,  because  the  nature  of  the  language  would 
not  allow  of  any  translation  being  made.  It  is  difficult  to  bring 
back  the  mind  to  the  standpoint,  whence  such  an  opinion  could 
have  been  entertained. 

INIany  languages  would  never  have  been  reduced  to  writing, 
would  never  have  been  known  to  later  ages,  would  have  been 
trodden  down  under  the  triumphant  footfall  of  some  more 
powerful  language,  leaving  no  track  on  the  sands  of  time,  but 
for  the  Bible,  which  has  kept  many  a  flickering  form  of  speech 
alive  by  lending  it  a  spiritual  light  of  its  own,  and  has  given  an 
immortality  to  others :  there  are  languages  in  North  America,  in 
which  the  Bible  was  translated  by  early  Missionaries,  but  the 
whole  tribe  has  become  extinct,  or  has  adopted  English,  and 
still  that  language  lives  enshrined  in  the  Words  of  the  Gospel, 
comprehensible  to  students,  though  no  longer  living  on  the  lips 
of  men.  Of  all  the  languages,  in  which  Xerxes,  King  of  Persia, 
issued  his  letters,  to  each  Province  in  its  own  language,  only 
those  two  have  survived,  and  are  still  heard  and  understood  after 
the  lapse  of  twenty-four  Centuries,  Hebrew  and  Greek,  to  which 
were  committed  the  oracles  of  God.  No  language  has  ever 
perished  from  the  reservoir  of  human  knowledge,  which  has  been 
the  vehicle  of  conveying  divine  knowledge,  for  being  honoured 
by  being  so  selected  it  has  become  Immortal. 

What  feeling  has  kept  the  translator,  in  spite  of  sickness  and 
privation,  to  his  post  ?  Some  opere  in  medio  have  died,  and  their 
hands  stiffened  on  their  Manuscript :  the  story  of  the  last 
moments  of  the  Venerable  Bede  is  but  the  type  of  many  other 
ends :  they  felt,  that  all  their  gifts  to  Him  belonged,  and  to  Him 
they  consecrated  their  expanding,  mature,  and  failing,  powers. 
Other  men  may  have  been  greater  poets,  greater  orators,  and  a 


(     85     ) 

translator  has  intellectually  but  a  limited  orbit :  he  is  but  a  torch, 
handing  on  the  divine  flame,  but  to  be  the  medium  of  handing 
on  such  a  flame  is  the  greatest  of  honours  and  privileges.  One 
great  translator  remarked,  that  he  could  almost  wish,  that  all 
the  Lord's  people  were  translators,  that  they  might  see  with 
their  own  eyes  the  very  words,  and  style,  in  which  God  expressed 
His  thoughts  to  JMan.  I  quote  the  remarks  of  one  loved  and 
revered  translator  still  spared  to  us : 

To  me  it  is  of  pathetic  interest 'to  recollect,  that  I  went  in  July,  185 1,  with 
the  first  complete  edition  of  the  Scriptures,  issued  by  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society.  I  have  long  been  the  sole  surviving  Missionary  of  that  date.  I 
witnessed  the  joy  of  the  book's  first  reception,  and  the  gradual  transformation 
of  character,  which  its  blessed  influence  brought  about.  And  now  it  has  fallen 
to  me  to  revise  that  same  Bible  for  a  standard-edition.  Too  high  praise  camiot 
be  given  to  the  original  translators,  for  the  faithful  vvay,  in  which  their  work  was 
done,  and  for  the  marvellous  grip  they  possessed  of  the  language  at  that  time 
untainted  by  outside  influences.  The  Spirit  of  God  evidently  rested  upon  these 
good  men.  My  edition  is  essentially  a  return  to  theirs.  Foreign  words  have 
given  place  to  native  equivalents,  rendering  the  book  more  intelligible.  The 
aim  has  been  to  make  this  version  as  popular  and  useful  as  the  old  authorized 
version  has  long  been  to  English-speaking  people. 

It  is  also  a  subject  of  fervent  rejoicing,  that  Women  have  not 
been  behindhand  in  this  work  of  love  ;  in  every  part  of  the 
world  I  find,  that  this  high  Grace  has  been  conceded  to  our 
sisters  of  "  labouring  in  the  Gospel,"  and  thus  "  inscribing  their 
own  names  in  the  Book  of  Life."  It  has  come  under  my  know- 
ledge, and  it  gladdens  my  heart  to  record  it,  that  the  Bible-Societies 
have  instances  of  the  sweet  yoke-fellowship  of  the  Son  and  the 
widowed  Mother,  the  Father  and  the  Daughter,  the  Husband 
and  the  Wife,  in  this  most  precious  consecration  of  intellectual 
capacity  united  with  Spiritual  devotion.  Single  ladies,  and 
widow  ladies,  have  not  been  slack  in  seeking  a  blessing,  by  being 
zealous  in  this  service,  and  at  their  death  they  leave  behind 
something  more  precious  than  the  garments,  which  Dorcas  left 
behind  to  her  weeping  friends,  inasmuch  as  they  have  helped 
to  clothe  the  Word  of  Life  in  a  new  vesture  of  words  and 
sentences,  which  will  never  wax  old,  nor  require  change,  nor 
perish,  but  will  be  fresh,  and  profitable  to  generations  still  to  be 
born. 

Nor  must  I  forget  to  record  the  services  of  those,  who  pre- 
pare the  way  for  the  translator  by  compiling  Dictionaries  and 
Grammars  of  previously  unknown  languages.  I  may  allude  to 
]\Ir.  Holman  Bentley,  who  a  few  years  ago  published  his 
Monumental  Dictionary  and  Grammar  of  the  Kongo  language. 
In  the  middle  of  his  labour  he  was  temporarily  afflicted  with 
loss  of  eyesight,  but  he  was  able  to  continue  his  labours  by  the 
help  of  his  wife,  who  developed  a  great  aptitude  for  such  work. 
In  the  Preface  I  wrote  as  follows,  having  taken  continuous 
interest  in  his  great  enterprize  : 


(     86     ) 

For  it  is  for  the  purpose  of  advancing  the  Kingdom  of  the  Lord,  that  this 
great  work  has  been  commenced,  continued,  and  completed.  It  is  a  solid 
briclc  in  the  great  editice  of  the  Evangelization  of  Africa.  How  can  they 
hear,  unless  they  are  spoken  to?  How  can  they  be  spoken  to,  unless  the 
Missionary  masters  the  vulgar  tongue  of  the  people,  to  whom  he  is  sent  ?  Mr. 
Kentley  consecrated  his  great  talents  to  this  noble  work  in  the  hope,  that  it  would 
enable  his  colleagues,  and  those  who  come  after  him,  to  spread  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  This  was  his  main  object,  and  for  this  purpose  only,  the  funds  of  a 
Missionary  Society  can  be  properly  devoted  to  the  expense  of  such  publications. 

But  the  scholars  of  Europe  and  North  America  would  indeed  be  dead  to  all 
feeling,  did  they  not  feel  gratitude  to  Missionaries,  who  have  revealed  to  them 
new  worlds,  and  helped  them  to  enter  in,  and  admire  the  beauties  of  hitherto 
sealed  gardens.  The  Kongo  language  takes  its  place  by  the  side  of  the  Swahili, 
the  Zulu,  and  the  Pongwe,  as  one  of  the  typical  languages  of  the  Bantu  family. 
Differing  from  each  other  in  many  particulars,  they  still  have  such  ineffaceable 
affinities  as  indicate  their  common  stock.  The  mechanism  of  one  often  explains 
misunderstood  anomalies  in  the  others.  Mr.  Bentley  has  been  able  to  get  to 
the  bottom  of  many  knotty  points,  which  will,  no  doubt,  throw  a  reflected  light 
on  unexplained  features  in  sister-languages,  of  which  the  study  is  only  now 
commencing.  A  Dictionary  and  a  Grammar  are  but  means  to  an  end,  and 
that  end,  from  the  point  of  view  of  all,  who  love  their  Lord,  is  the  translation 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  the  circulation  and  faithful  preaching  of  the  Ever- 
lasting Gospel.  All  human  knowledge,  all  intellectual  talents,  are  vain  and 
profitless,  unless,  directly  or  indirectly,  they  lead  on  to  the  salvation  of  souls, 
and  I  heartily  congratulate  Mr.  Bentley,  that  he  has  been  permitted  to  render  a 
service  to  the  great  cause,  which  will  be  lasting,  and  pave  the  way  to  services, 
whether  performed  by  himself  or  others,  which  will  be  still  more  endurable, 
still  more  acceptable,  and  still  more  blessed. 

The  translator  has  not  only  to  grapple  with  new  word-stores, 
and  new  grammatical  forms,  but  with  new  idioms,  a  strange 
unlettered  logic  of  ideas,  and  a  new  mode  of  collocating  words, 
so  as  to  represent  the  ideas,  as  they  rise  in  the  mind.  All  men 
do  not  ratiocinate  in  the  same  way.  Place  a  sentence  in  the 
lingua  franca  of  India  by  the  side  of  a  sentence  in  English,  and 
it  will  be  perceived,  that  the  ideas  rise  in  the  mind  in  a  reversed 
order,  and  yet  so  plastic  is  the  mind,  when  trained,  that  many 
among  us  speak  both  languages  without  an  effort.  Each  Family 
of  languages  seems  to  have  a  soul  of  its  own:  its  genius  at  some 
remote  period  leapt  out  of  darkness,  and  became  fixed  for  ever. 
The  Chinaman  may  use  English  words,  but  he  uses  them  after  his 
own  method.  When  he  learns  an  Arian  language,  he  passes  out 
of  the  orbit  of  his  native  conceptions,  and  accepts  a  new  method 
of  ratiocination. 

It  takes  some  degree  of  culture  to  arrive  at  abstract  words :  a 
Savage  knows,  what  it  is  to  be  brave,  but  he  has  no  word  for 
valour :  he  cannot  realize  what  is  spiritual  guidance,  but  he 
can  grasp  the  conception  of  a  pillar  of  light,  or  a  corporeal 
Angel  :  he  knows  not  the  meaning  of  temptation,  but  he  can 
conceive  the  idea  of  a  tempter  in  human,  and  generally  female, 
form.  The  translator  has  not  only  to  translate  Greek  and 
Hebrew  words,  but  he  has  to  communicate  the  very  notion   of 


(     8;     ) 

-Pardon,  Self-restraint,  Forgiveness,  and  herein  lies  the  Prayer- 
relying  difficulty  of  the  translator.  While  new  words  are  being 
coined  to  represent  new  conceptions,  old  words  are  being  happily 
choked  out,  such  as  Sorcerer,  and  Medicine-man,  whose  name 
and  office  are  soon  clean  forgotten.  It  would  be  an  interesting 
study  to  follow  out  the  introduction  of  words,  or  their  decay, 
from  the  influence  of  the  Missionary,  or  the  Trader;  the  first 
two  English  words  in  the  New  Hebrides  were  Missionary  and 
Tobacco,  soon  to  be  followed  by  the  wholesome  terms  of  Bible, 
Chapel,  and  School,  and  the  unhappy  antitheses  of  Gin,  Rum, 
Firearms,  and  Gunpowder. 

What  a  study  it  is  to  mark  the  Patois  growing  up  to  the  level 
of  the  authorized  Vernacular !  The  Romans  in  their  day  may 
have  laughed  at  the  patois  of  the  Gaul,  the  Iberian,  the  Dacian, 
and  the  Italian,  but  they  grew,  and  grew,  till  they  strangled  their 
mother.  A  speaker  of  English  must  not  judge  harshly  the  young 
hybrids,  which  are  coming  into  existence  in  every  part  of  the 
non-European  world,  the  issue  of  a  European  linguistic  Father 
and  an  African,  Asiatic,  American,  or  Oceanic,  Mother:  already 
specimens  are  being  collected  and  arranged.  Some  will  strike 
root,  and  be  the  Vernaculars  of  the  future.  Once  let  the  Bible  be 
translated  into  them,  and  their  future  is  secure.  Some  languages 
seem  to  fall  short  of  the  due  stock  of  expressions  of  thought :  some 
seem  to  be  supplied  far  beyond  what  is  necessary.  A  South 
African  chief,  understanding  that  an  interpreter  had  expressed 
his  inability  to  translate  an  English  letter,  owing  to  the  poverty 
of  the  Vernacular,  proudly  offered  to  render  it  in  three  distinct 
versions  without  using  the  same  word  more  than  once.  Some 
languages  reduce  words  to  one  syllable  ;  others  include  the 
whole  of  a  long  sentence  in  one  inseparable  word.  Some 
languages  are  melodious,  abounding  in  open  vowels ;  others  are 
debased  by  sounds  worthy  of  brute  beasts. 

It  is  beyond  the  power  of  a  Caesar,  or  a  Pope,  to  arrest  the 
magnificent  progress  of  the  Bible  over  the  world  :  they  might 
as  well  try  to  stop  the  Sun  in  mid-heaven.  This  unequalled 
book  will  roll  on  in  its  majesty,  until  earthly  tongues  cease,  and 
Language  has  had  its  day.  Once  impressed  with  the  value  of 
this  book,  no  nation  will  part  with  it.  Witness  the  story  of 
IMadagascar  and  Tahiti.  In  the  former  Island  the  persecution 
of  a  Heathen  Monarch  was  of  no  avail  against  a  race,  which 
buried  Bibles  in  secret  places :  in  the  latter  Island  the  French 
Roman  Catholic  Priests  have  found  all  their  endeavours  in  vain 
to  extirpate  the  Tahiti  Bible.  The  Kings  of  the  Earth  may 
rage,  and  the  people  imagine  a  vain  thing,  but  holy  men  have 
gone  to  the  stake  with  a  copy  of  the  Bible  tied  round  their 
neck,  as  their  insignia  of  nobility.  In  many  Southern  Islands 
the  arrival  of  the  printed  volume  from  Great  Britain  was  hailed 


(     88     ) 

with  rejoicing,  and,  ere  the  ship  had  touched  the  shore,  large 
editions  had  been  sold  off  to  eager  thousands,  who  crowded 
with  their  arrowroot,  and  other  articles  of  raw  produce,  to  make 
their  purchases.  The  Islands  of  Samoa  were  occupied  at  the 
close  of  last  century  by  tribes  so  fierce,  that  they  devoured  part 
of  the  crew  of  the  French  Navigator,  La  Perouse.  A  few  years 
ago  they  transmitted  gratefully  the  last  instalment  of  the  cost  of 
the  whole  Volume  translated  into  their  language.  Such  leaves 
have  been  indeed  to  the  healing  of  the  nations.  There  is  also 
a  strange  and  subtle  advantage  in  placing  in  the  hands  of  such 
a  variety  of  the  human  race,  one  book,  and  such  a  book ;  so 
deep  a  book,  and  yet  so  simple  :  so  human,  and  yet  so  divine : 
so  localized,  and  yet  so  world-embracing.  It  at  once  proves 
beyond  doubt,  that  all  Mankind  are  common  brotherhood, 
because  all  are  found  to  be  influenced  by  the  same  talismanic 
power:  and  yet  the  book  enables  the  observer  to  gain  an  in- 
tellectual parallax  of  the  problem  of  Life.  He  sees  what  the 
South  Sea  Islanders,  the  Arctic  Eskimo,  the  Antarctic  Pata- 
gonian,  the  Equatorial  African,  think  of  this  Law  of  Present 
Life,  this  Hope  of  a  Future  Life,  when  newly  presented  to  them. 
Whatever  the  blazee  minds  of  the  so-called  superior  races  may 
think  in  their  blind  pride,  the  unsophisticated  minds  of  the 
children  of  Nature  accept  willingly,  and  do  homage  to  what  is 
to  them  a  pure,  simple,  new,  and  abiding.  Revelation  of  Right 
and  Wrong,  of  Sin,  Punishment,  and  Pardon. 

Where  else  can  the  comparative  Philologist  have  such  an 
opportunity  of  comparing  Language  with  Language,  differentiated 
by  a  long  isolation  of  centuries,  separated  by  a  vast  diapason  of 
space,  and  yet  the  same  grand  and  simple  story  flows  on,  flows 
on,  in  a  distinct  environment  of  words  and  sentences,  in  an 
entirely  antagonistic  ordering  of  logical  conceptions  }  If  the 
scholar  grapples  with  one  family  of  translations,  he  will  see  the 
old  synthetic  system  of  the  elder  days  of  the  Arian,  and  Semitic, 
races  gradually  relaxing,  dissipating,  melting  into  the  analytic 
method.  He  will  note  the  progress  of  the  pure  gold,  all  from 
one  mine,  becoming  gradually  admixed  with  the  alloy  of  baser 
metal,  and  yet  gaining  strength,  flexibility,  and  harmony:  the 
grand  sonorous  polysyllables  of  a  compounding  Language  by  an 
unconscious  decay  losing  their  meaning,  till  words  become  so 
abraded,  curtailed,  and  beheaded,  that  they  become  mere  symbols, 
or  counters.  A  linguistic  mould,  which  in  the  outset  consisted 
of  carefully  arranged  melodious  homophones,  has  degenerated 
gradually  into  an  inartistic  conglomerate  of  almost  Algebraic 
symbols,  by  which  nevertheless  the  underlying  logic  of  the  mind 
is  completely  and  accurately  conveyed. 

The  eftect  upon  the  Nations  of  the  world  will  be  strange,  when 
this  one  book  becomes  a  Classic,  and  instrument  of  Education 


(     89    ) 

everywhere  :  there  will  then  be  for  the  first  time  a  common 
standard  of  comparison  of  Right  and  Wrong,  one  long  Meridian 
of  Light,  piercing  with  a  golden  ray  every  dark  corner  of  Theism, 
Polytheism,  Agnosticism,  or  Atheism,  dispersing  the  fogs  of  the 
intellect,  cutting  through  as  with  a  sharp  sword  the  sophistries 
of  the  Elder,  as  of  the  Later,  World.  The  Bible  does  not  shun 
the  light,  does  not  fear  the  critic,  evinces  no  tremor  under  the 
scalpel  of  the  dissector.  The  other  sacred  books  of  the  world 
are  designedly  shrouded  in  darkness,  placed  away  in  arks  of 
shittim-wood,  folded  up  in  silk  and  precious  cloths,  shrouded  up 
in  the  death-sheet  of  a  dead  language  ;  if  read  aloud,  disguised 
in  unintelligible  sing-song  chaunts.  The  Roman  Catholics,  if 
they  had  had  their  way  three  centuries  ago,  would  have  reduced 
our  Blessed  Book  to  the  same  vile  conditions,  but  it  is  too  late 
now.  The  mighty  Spirit  has  escaped  from  the  vessel  of  brass, 
and  not  even  the  Seal  of  Solomon  will  force  it  back  to  its  narrow 
prison,  or  restrain  it.  No  one,  who  has  studied  the  sacred  books 
of  the  elder  Non-Christian  Religions,  can  fail  to  speak  with 
reverence  of  those  grand  feelers  after  God,  if  haply  they  could 
find  Him,  those  sobbings  of  the  poor  human  heart  in  its  hopeless 
search  for  the  great  Parent  of  all,  those  wonderful  introspections 
of  the  secret  of  Human  life,  "  What  am  I  ?  whence  am  I  ? 
whither  do  I  go.?"  those  attempts  to  take  Heaven  by  violence, 
or  fraud,  by  heaping  Pelion  upon  Ossa,  and  accumulating  Works 
upon  Works,  though  all  inquiry  ends  in  a  hopeless  wail  of  the 
soul,  that  cannot  find  comfort.  If  any  still  trust  in  them  for 
guidance  in  this  world,  or  a  sure  hope  in  a  future  life,  why  do 
they  not  translate  them  into  the  great  Vernaculars  of  the  Wor'd, 
and  distribute  them  broadcast  among  every  Nation  under  the  sun  ? 

Did  it  ever  enter  into  the  head  of  a  sincere  Jew  to  translate 
the  Old  Testament  for  the  benefit  of  the  Gentiles,  although  it 
had  been  done  for  his  own  peculiar  people,  who  had  forgotten 
the  language,  spoken  by  their  forefathers,  before  they  went  into 
Captivity  in  Babylon,  since  which  date  it  ceased  to  be  the  language 
of  common  life  ?  Has  anybody  ever  remarked  a  follower  of 
Confucius,  Zoroaster,  or  Mahomet,  taking  pains  to  translate  into 
the  Vernacular,  comment,  compare  texts,  and  then  publish,  and 
take  measures  to  bring  to  others  the  knowledge  attained  ?  Can  a 
man  value  Knowledge,  and  not  desire  to  impart  .^  These  sacred 
books  are  full  of  precept  as  well  as  ritual.  Can  we  point  out 
any  one,  who  has  tried  to  live  up  to  the  level  of  his  book,  whose 
prayers  were  not  empty  sing-song  repetitions  ?  Can  anyone  tell 
us  of  a  conversion  wrought  by  such  a  book  ?  I  have  lived 
among  people,  who  loved  their  sacred  books,  but  the  object  of 
their  love  was  a  dead  thing,  a  mummy,  a  dear  departed,  and  not 
a  living  friend. 

Bible-Societies  work  neither  for  the  profit  of  an  individual,  nor 


(    90    ) 

of  a  Church  :  they  interfere  with  no  ri;:!;ht  of  private  judgment : 
they  venture  on  no  note  or  comment,  no  alternative  readings,  but 
those  founded  on  Philological  grounds  :  they  lay  the  revealed 
Word  before  all,  the  believer,  or  the  unbeliever.  Thus,  through 
their  agency,  the  whole  human  family  has  the  privilege  afforded 
to  them  of  a  personal  intercourse  with  Christ,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Such  Societies  show,  that  Christianity  is  not  hostile  to 
Science,  as  they  conduct  their  proceedings  on  the  lines  of  the 
highest,  soundest,  and  most  unflinching.  Scholarship :  they  cast 
down  the  gauntlet  at  the  feet  of  the  profoundest  linguistic 
scholar,  and  bid  him  examine  with  the  closest  microscrope  the 
translations,  which  they  circulate :  if  errors  occur,  and  they  do 
occur,  they  are  errors  of  good  faith,  and  are  corrected.  Each 
age  of  the  Past  received  as  much  of  the  Divine  Revelation  as  it 
was  able  to  understand.  To  us  the  whole  Book  is  laid  open, 
and  we  find  one  golden  thread  twining  through  the  whole  story 
from  Genesis  to  Revelation.  We  find  in  it  the  YloD  arw ;  of  the 
INIathematician,  the  spot  outside  the  world,  on  which  the  lever 
can  be  rested,  that  will  move  the  world,  when  the  Holy  Spirit 
gives  the  power,  and  that  same  power  will  be  given  against  the 
Scepticism  and  Infidelity  of  Civilization,  as  it  was  against  the 
superstitions  of  the  Savage. 

The  Word  of  the  Lord  will  be  abiding,  when  walls  of  Chapels 
and  Churches,  even  the  most  spiritual,  crumble  to  the  ground, 
when  Shibboleths  are  forgotten,  and  all  stand  before  Christ  face 
to  face,  and  handle  Him,  and  see.  The  largeness  of  the  scope 
of  Bible-Societies  is  such,  that  they  confound  all  human  state  ; 
they  care  for  the  poor  as  well  as  for  the  rich,  for  the  stranger  as 
warmly  as  for  the  fellow-countryman,  for  the  Heathen  as  earnestly 
as  for  the  Christian.  Nobody,  who  enters  the  great  Bible-House 
in  London,  can  say,  that  he  has  no  interest  in  its  welfare,  and 
can  himself  not  find  some  blessing  from  its  operations.  When 
the  Queen  of  Sheba  visited  Solomon,  and  saw  all  the  glory  of 
the  House  of  the  Lord,  her  heart  sank  within  her ;  and  she 
admitted,  that  the  reality  far  surpassed  all  that  she  had  heard. 
No  one  can  form  a  conception  of  the  wealth  of  languages,  and 
the  magnificence  of  the  work,  until  he  has  made  a  pilgrimage  to 
the  Bible-House,  and  seen  it  with  his  eyes.  A  Cardinal  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  lately  visited  it,  for  the  purpose  of  buying 
a  copy  of  the  New  Testament  in  a  foreign  language,  and  he  was 
with  due  respect  taken  up  to  view  all  the  treasures  of  the  House, 
which  had  been  built  for  the  Word  of  God,  and,  as  he  left  the 
door,  he  remarked,  "  The  Holy  Spirit  is  being  poured  out  upon 
us:    that  is  the  secret  of  it."      Me7a\/;  >)  u\)j6eia  kuI  vvrepiax^^'^- 


(     91     ) 


Chapter  III. — Results  and  Suggestions. 

Having  traced  the  origin,  the  nature  of  the  work,  and  wide  spread 
of  the  operations,  I  now  proceed  to  allude  to  results,  and  to 
make  suggestions. 

The  written  Word  inserts  itself  into  holes  and  caverns,  whither 
the  human  voice  cannot  reach,  and  abides,  and  fructifies,  upon 
the  barren  hard  rock,  like  the  seed  dropped  by  the  passing  bird, 
which  silently,  without  the  aid  of  man,  developes  into  a  great  tree. 
All  Churches,  who  agree  in  nothing  else,  agree  in  this,  that  the 
Word  is  precious:  it  is  the  axis,  round  which  Christian  Faith 
and  Practice  turn  at  different  distances,  and  with  varying  rapidity. 
In  countries,  where  for  thousands  of  years  the  voice  of  Public 
and  Private  Duty  has  been  silent,  it  is  heard  for  the  first  time, 
when  a  portion  of  the  Bible  is  being  read.  For  a  long  time 
the  Moravian  Missionaries  worked  among  the  Eskimo  without 
any  result :  they  occupied  their  otherwise  useless  hours  in  transla- 
tion :  the  time  came  at  last.  God  chooses  his  own  season  :  a 
Missionary  was  copying  a  Gospel,  and  four  Eskimo  drew  near  to 
watch  him  :  at  their  request  he  read  a  portion,  which  chanced 
to  be  the  account  of  the  agony  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane. 
As  he  read  on,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  fell  upon  them,  as  manifestly 
as  upon  Cornelius  and  his  companions.  Some  of  them  laid  their 
hands  on  their  mouths,  which  is  their  manner  of  expressing 
wonder :  one  man  called  out  in  a  loud  and  anxious  tone, 

How  is  that?     Tell  me  that  again,  for  I  would  also  be  saved. 

This  man  proved  the  first  of  a  long  succession  of  converts. 

In  this  last  case  the  Sun  had  never  risen  to  these  poor  savages. 
Let  me  glance  at  a  case,  where  the  light  had  intentionally  by 
evil  men  been  obscured.  I  read  how  in  the  South  of  Europe  a 
little  Protestant  child  was  taken  to  a  public  hospital  to  die.  In 
her  last  moments  she  gave  her  little  Testament,  the  only  thing 
that  she  possessed,  to  the  Nun,  who  had  nursed  her.  Between 
the  leaves  of  that  little  book  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  was  lying  hid. 
The  keeper  of  the  Bible-depot  remarked  with  surprise,  that  he 
sold  during  the  next  few  days  several  copies  to  female  figures, 
who  crept  in  after  dark.     That  day  Salvation  had  come  within 


(      92      ) 

the  walls  of  that  Convent:  no  doubt  the  books  were  soon  dis- 
covered, and  in  the  parlour  of  the  Lady-Abbess,  and  the 
presence  of  the  Priest-Confessor,  and  weeping  women,  there 
ascended  the  tiny  smoke  of  a  sacrifice  of  burning  paper,  the 
unaccepted  offering  of  Cain,  who  slew  his  brother ;  but  certain 
precious  promises  had  been  too  deeply  printed  in  the  memory 
and  the  heart  to  be  effaced,  and  had  been  in  Faith  appropriated 
by  these  humble  Saints ;  for  whom  some  day  a  door,  by  Grace, 
may  be  found  ajar,  which  will  be  closed  against  Pharisee  and 
Cardinal,  who  in  the  day  of  their  opportunity  would  not  enter 
in  themselves,  and  shut  the  door  on  others. 

Let  us  glance  at  the  other  extreme,  and  raise  up  in  our 
imaginations  an  assembly  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  of 
those,  who  once  had  known  and  had  abandoned  God.  They 
are  gold-diggers,  and  are  taking  their  midday-rest.  A  new 
digger  from  the  old  country  had  just  joined  them,  and  with  him 
a  motherless  lad.  In  their  rough  sport  they  had  searched  the 
boy's  pockets,  and  found  a  little  Testament,  the  gift  of  the  boy's 
dead  Mother :  out  of  mere  wantonness,  one  of  them  begins  in  a 
scoffing  way  to  read  out  aloud,  but  his  fingers,  and  eyes,  were 
guided  by  a  power  greater  than  his  own,  for  first  he  read,  how 
Jesus  came  walking  on  the  sea,  and  then  the  story  of  the  good 
Samaritan.  The  laughing  and  oaths  had  ceased,  and  all  were 
listening,  when  the  wind  blew  the  leaves  over,  and  the  reader 
found  himself  reading  solemnly  the  awful  tale  of  the  Crucifixion  ; 
a  tale  well  remembered,  though  forgotten,  old,  but  still  new:  as 
he  came  to  the  last  words  of  the  penitent  thief,  and  our  Lord's 
reply,  the  book  fell  from  his  hands  to  the  ground  amidst  an 
awe-struck  silence,  only  broken  by  sobs.  God  has  his  chosen 
ones  in  every  assembly  of  his  children ;  he  has  his  corner  in 
every  human  heart.     A  hoarse  voice  came  up  from  the  rear : 

Will  no  one  pray  ?     Can  no  fellow  remember  a  prayer  ? 

The  echo  of  far-off  English  Sunday-Schools,  the  warning  throb 
of  their  own  death-struggle,  perhaps  not  far  distant,  stirred  into 
life  those  dead  hearts :  the  fool  may  have  said  in  his  heart,  that 
there  was  no  God,  but  these  men  were  not  fools,  and  knew 
better,  that  God  was  near  unto  them.  The  call  was  for  some 
one  to  pray,  but  words  are  not  forthcoming,  unless  the  Spirit 
supplies  them.  As  the  lad  crouched  forward  to  recover  his  lost 
Testament,  he  was  caught  up  by  strong  arms,  and  ordered  to 
pray.  As  his  childish  treble  went  u])  to  the  clear  sky,  repeating 
the  little  prayer,  which  he  had  often  said  at  his  dead  mother's 
knees,  hats  were  off,  and  knees  were  bowed,  and  a  deep  calm 
fell  over  the  assembly,  while  this  innocent  child  became  the 
mouth-piece  of  these  rough  emigrants.  Not  a^s  yet  had  he  learnt 
to  be  ashamed  of  his  innocence  :  not  as  yet  had  his  lips  been 


(    93     ) 

defiled  with  oaths  and  obscenities  ;  and  his  little  prayer  rose  up 
to  heaven  above  the  tall  pines,  and  who  can  say  how  many 
brands  may  be  saved  from  the  burning  by  the  chance  contact  of 
one  little  Testament  ? 

Such  stories  as  the  above  repeat  themselves  in  different  terms 
from  book  to  book,  and  from  platform  to  platform  :  they  are  not 
supported  by  eye-witnesses,  and  rest  upon  hearsay :  they  are  but 
a  few  out  of  hundreds,  and,  if  not  true,  they  give  evidence  of  a 
great  truth,  that,  so  long  'as  the  human  heart  beats,  and  the 
Divine  book  comes  into  contact  with  it,  the-  electric  spark  will 
display  itself.  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  we  hear 
the  sound,  but  cannot  tell  whence  it  comes,  or  whither  it  goeth. 

It  is,  because  it  is  found  by  experience  to  be  suited  to  every 
state  of  man,  because  it  is  intelligible  to  the  mind  in  the  lowest 
stages  of  culture,  and  yet  not  unworthy  of  the  highest  intellect ; 
because  it  is  both  wise  and  tender,  full  of  judgment,  full  of 
pardon  ;  so  deep,  that  no  plummet  can  reach  the  bottom ;  yet 
so  transparent,  that  the  eye  of  faith  can  pierce. through  it:  so 
consolatory,  yet  so  outspoken  in  condemnation  of  what  is 
wrong ;  such  a  feast  to  those,  who  are  in  good  health,  such  a 
medicine  to  the  sick,  such  a  balm  to  the  weary  one ;  so  full  of 
high  hope  for  the  young  :  so  full  of  chastened  resignation  for  the 
aged  :  so  full  of  parting  comforts  to  the  Soul  about  to  return  to 
its  Creator :  for  these  reasons  the  Bible-Societies  consider  it 
their  bounden  duty  to  spare  no  pains,  to  grudge  no  expenditure, 
to  place  it  in  the  hands  of  every  one,  the  sailor,  the  emigrant, 
the  soldier,  the  fisherman,  the  miner,  the  shepherd.  Each  public 
event,  each  local  distress,  each  private  calamity,  seem  a  call  to 
them  to  press  onward.  In  the  Report  for  1885  I  read  of  a 
woman,  who  remarked,  that  she  had  often  heard  of  the  Bible, 
but  had  never  seen  it  till  that  day ;  of  the  Railway- Policeman, 
who,  on  buying  a  copy  for  the  first  time,  took  off  his  hat,  and 
saluted  it,  "  Long  have  I  desired  to  possess  a  copy,  and  now 
I  have  one."  "  Still  there  was  room,"  whispered  the  humble 
dying  man,  thanking  the  reader  for  the  comfort  conveyed  in  the 
words,  that  there  might  still  be  room  for  him.  "That  blessed 
letter  M,"  said  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon,  as  they  read  to  her, 
that  not  Many  mighty,  not  Many  noble  are  called.  In  Dr. 
Stern,  the  Abyssinian  Missionary's  Memoirs,  I  read  how,  writh- 
ing under  wounds  inflicted  by  King  Theodore,  he  was  comforted 
by  thinking  of  the  words, 

Neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain. 

And  throughout  all  the  agonizing  days,  and  agonizing  nights  of 
those  long  four  years  of  captivity,  the  Bible  with  its  promises 
was  the  solace  and  the  joy  of  his  despondent  heart. 

The   last   Journal   of  Bishop    Hannington,    so    marvellously 


(     94    ) 

preserved  to  us,  tells  us,  how  that  faithful  Christian,  in  the  miser- 
able outward  circumstances  of  his  last  days,  was  still  sustained  by 
the  daily  reading  of,  and  meditation  on,  the  Psalms  of  David. 

Impressed  with  these  convictions,  I  have  long  been  anxious 
to  find  out,  and  bring  to  book,  the  extent  of  Bible- Work,  which 
has  yet  to  be  done,  in  order  to  place  the  Holy  Scriptures  at 
the  disposal  of  every  Nation  and  Tribe  in  the  world  in  their 
own  proper  language  or  dialect,  for  it  is  clearly  our  duty  to 
aim  at  nothing  short  of  this  :  but  it  is  necessary  previously  to 
discover 

A.  How  many  languages,  and  dialects,  mutually  unintelligible, 
are  spoken  at  this  time  (1888). 

B.  In  how  many  languages,  or  dialects,  translations  have  been 
made. 

An  answer  to  the  first  question  is  being  slowly  worked  out.  I 
am  gradually  completing  a  survey  of  our  existing  knowledge, 
proceeding  on  a  Geographical  JMethod.  This  must  stand  over, 
but  the  materials  are  accumulating,  though  it  nay  not  be  my  lot 
to  sum  up  the  total. 

An  answer  to  the  second  question  is  the  subject  of  this 
discussion.  It  is  not  so  simple  as  it  may  seem.  For  my  purpose 
it  is  sufficient,  that  any  portion  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  has 
been  translated,  printed,  and  put  into  circulation,  or  brought 
into  use.  For  where  a  portion  has  beeij  disposed  of,  it  is  merely 
a  question  of  time,  capacity,  and  money,  to  dispose  of  the 
remainder,  should  it  be  found  necessary.  On  the  other  hand, 
all  translations  of  small  portions  made  by  Scholars  and  Gram- 
marians, merely  as  linguistic  texts,  are  omitted ;  they  may  be 
interesting,  but  they  are  not  Bible-work  in  the  sense  understood 
by  me:  they  are  however  numerous,  and  show  how  the  work 
may  be  advanced. 

A  great  many  agencies  have  been  at  work,  and  there  are 
several  Tables  or  Lists  of  considerable  repute,  but  none  of  them 
are  complete,  none  of  them  are  scientifically  arranged,  so  as  to 
form  a  correct  basis  for  my  inquiry. 

I  state  them  as  follows : 

A.  Historical  Table  of  Languages  and  Dialects,  in  which  the 

translation,  printing,  or  distribution  of  the  Scriptures  has 
been  at  any  time  promoted  by  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society.    This  forms  partof  the  Annual  Report,  1 888. 

B.  Specimens  of  Languages  and  Dialects,  in  which  the  British 

and  Foreign  Bible  Society  has  printed  or  circulated  the 
Scriptures.     Enlarged  Edition,  1888. 

C.  Table  showing  the  New  Versions  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  made 

by  Bible  Societies  during  the  present  Century,  by  the  Rev. 
C.  E.  B.  Reed.  Appenclix  to  the  Report  on  Conference 
of  Foreign  Missions.     INIildmay,  1879. 


(    95     ) 

D.  Annual  Report  of  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Know- 

ledge, 1888. 

E.  List  of  the  Languages,  into  which  the  Scriptures  have  been 

translated  in  "The  Bible  of  Every  Land,"  i860. 

F.  Historical  Table  of  Languages  and  Dialects  in  which  the 

translations,  printing,  and  distribution  of  the  Scriptures 
has  been  at  any  time  promoted  by  the  British  and  Foreign, 
and  other,  Bible  Societies.  This  forms  a  part  of  the  Annual 
Report  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  1888. 

G.  List  of  Translations  of  the  Holy  Scripturesinto  the  Languages 

of  Heathen  and  Mahometan  Nations,  1850.  Burns's  His- 
toryof  Missions,  vol.  iii.  p.  493.     Appendix,  3rd  edition. 

Much  information  is  to  be  obtained  from  other  Reports  :  none 
are  accurate,  complete,  or  up  to  date;  in  some,  confusion  is  caused 
by  introduction  of  details  not  required  for  my  purpose  :  they  are 
faulty  in  their  arrangement,  and  inconsistent  in  their  orthography. 
Most  of  them  have  grown  gradually  on  no  one  system. 

Let  me  first  note  the  points,  which  I  wish  to  .exclude.  I  am 
dealing  with  Language  alone  :  so  I  exclude  all  notice  of  editions  ; 
dates  ;  Written  Characters  ;  name  of  translator  ;  obsolete  or 
useless  versions ;  plurality  of  translations,  for  the  fact  of  one 
translation  existing  is  sufficient ;  names  of  portions  translated, 
as  the  fact  of  any  portion  being  translated  is  sufficient. 

On  the  other  hand,  I  require  to  know  :  every  language  or 
dialect,  in  which  work  has  been  done  of  a  practical  character; 
the  exact  province  or  country,  in  which,  or  the  tribe,  by  which,  it 
is  used  ;  to  what  Family  or  Group  it  belongs  ;  whether  it  is  a 
language,  or  a  dialect,  or  a  patois ;  by  what  Bible-Society,  or 
Missionary  Society,  it  was  translated,  if  it  is  a  new  version  of 
this  Century.  I  require  accurate  orthography,  and  the  exclusion 
of  all  vagueness  of  terminology,  and  uncertainty  of  Geography, 
as  each  language  should  have  a  Geographical  name,  which 
explains  itself. 

I  arrive  at  a  total  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-seven  languages, 
dialects,  and  patois,  which  are  represented  by  some  portion  of 
the  Scriptures  translated  for  Evangelistic  purposes.  In  making 
up  my  list  I  exclude  the  following,  which  appear  in  the  Catalogues 
of  Bible  Societies: 

A.  Duplicate  versions,  prepared  in  different  written  characters, 
to  suit  the  reading  powers  of  a  particular  population.  Now  this 
is  the  same  substance  appearing  in  a  different  form.  Again, 
Editions  for  the  Blind  are  merely  mechanical  contrivances,  and 
the  publication  of  Dyglott  Editions  should  be  left  to  the  trade. 

B.  Obsolete  versions,  whether  originally  made  upon  imperfect 
knowledge,  or  made  for  races,  which  have  died  out,  or  changed 
their  Vernacular,  or  which  have  been  entirely  superseded  by  later, 
and  more  perfect  translations. 


(    96     ) 

C.  Literary  "tours  de  force,"  like  those  of  H.I.H.  Prince 
L.-L.  Bonaparte,  which,  however,  have  a  value,  as  pointing  the 
way,  though  many  have  only  a  linguistic  interest. 

On  the  other  hand,  by  the  kindness  of  Missionaries,  and  the 
close  perusal  of  Missionary  Reports  of  every  part  of  the  World, 
I  have  been  able  to  cull  wild  flowers-  from  hitherto  sealed 
gardens,  and  get,  as  it  were,  a  forecast  of  work,  that  will  be 
known  to  all  in  ten  years'  time.  Many  a  busy  brain,  many  an 
industrious  pen,  many  a  consecrated  intellect,  is  at  work, 
gathering  up  honey  to  store  in  the  Bible-Bee-Hive,  to  provide 
sweet  and  nourishing  food  for  old  and  young  in  generations  yet 
to  be  born.  I  have  used  a  large  liberty  in  such  additions,  one 
Psalm,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  or  a  few  chapters,  are  an  earnest  of 
blessings  to  come ;  they  are  the  first  drops  of  a  fructifying 
shower,  perhaps  the  first  effort  of  a  prentice-hand,  which  will 
hereafter  do  the  work  of  a  cunning  workman  in  the  building  of 
the  Temple  of  the  Lord. 

The  object  of  my  fourth  column  is  not  to  adjudicate  betwixt 
rival  claims.  I  wish  to  enable  scholars.  Religious  or  Secular,  to 
know,  where  they  are  to  apply  for  copies.  I  take  no  cognizance 
of  Rival  Versions.  My  object  is  to  state,  that  such  and  such 
language  has  received  the  honour  of  being  the  vehicle  of  God's 
Word. 

It  is  clear,  that  Bible-Societies  are  not  justified  in  preparing, 
and  supplying,  dead  and  liturgical  versions :  at  the  beginning  of 
their  work  they  may  have  been  glad  to  do  so,  but  they  should 
remove  now  to  a  separate  list  the  names  of  Latin,  Old  Slavonic, 
Old  Syriac,  Koptic,  Ethiopic,  Old  Armenian,  and  Ecclesiastical 
Georgian.  They  do  not  represent  the  Vernaculars :  they  only 
subserve  to  an  empty  and  faulty  ritual,  totally  unintelligible  to 
the  people,  and  not  likely  to  save  souls :  there  is  no  guarantee, 
that  some  of  them  are  faithful  translations.  On  the  other  hand, 
I  would  resist  any  attempt  to  withdraw  from  circulation  the 
translations  of  the  Latin  Vulgate  into  the  French,  Italian, 
Spanish,  Portuguese  and  German  Languages.  Many  will  pur- 
chase these,  who  will  purchase  no  other  translations :  perhaps 
hereafter  some  acceptable  revised  translation  may  supersede 
them.  We  owe  our  Reformation  to  the  study  of  the  Vulgate, 
and  it  is  sheer  nonsense  to  condemn  a  version,  which  converted 
Luther  and  Calvin. 

In  spelling  the  names  of  languages  of  the  Arian  and  Semitic 
Family  there  is  no  difficulty ;  they  have,  in  course  of  Centuries, 
adopted  Arian  suffixes,  such  as  "  Vers'ian"  or  "  Arab/r,"  but  it  is 
inconsistent  and  wrong  to  alter  at  random  and  by  mere  chance 
the  termination  of  non-Arian  names  :  we  allow  Zulu,  Hindustani, 
Hakka,  Bugi,  Cree,  Galla  and  INIaori,  to  remain  unaltered :  why 
then   add   an  Arian   suffix   to  the   languages   in    Polynesia,   or 


(    97     ) 

Malaysia,  or  North  America  ?  On  the  other  hand,  the  well- 
known  Bantu  prefix  of  names  in  South  Africa  should  be  always 
removed,  and  Swahili  be  written,  not  Ki-Swahili,  Suto  not 
Se-Suto. 

The  table  for  each  of  the  Five  Divisions  of  the  World  is 
separate:  additions  should  be  inserted  in  their  proper  places. 
No  doubt  the  bulk  of  the  work  in  future  years  will  consist  in 
revision,  the  publication  of  new  editions,  and  the  translation  of 
the  untranslated  portions  of  the  Scriptures,  which  are  repre- 
sented in  the  lists  possibly  by  a  single  Book,  or  a  few  Books. 
It  is  comforting  to  think,  that  we  have  disposed,  more  or  less 
finally,  of  the  sixteen  great  languages  of  the  World,  viz.  English, 
French,  German,  Italian,  Russ,  Spanish,  Portuguese,  and  Greek, 
in  Europe :  Arabic,  Osmanli  Turki,  Persian,  Hindi,  Bangali, 
Malay,  and  Chinese  Mandarin  in  Asia :  Swahili  in  Africa :  each 
one  of  these  languages  is  spoken  by  a  population  exceeding  ten 
Millions,  some  spoken  by  eighty  Millions.  Great  progress  has 
been  made  in  the  languages  of  second  rank  of  numerical  im- 
portance :  we  may  anticipate,  that  in  the  struggle  for  linguistic 
life  hundreds  of  unsettled  languages  and  dialects  will  be 
swallowed  up,  trodden  down,  and  extinguished,  by  their 
powerful  neighbours,  before  their  turn  comes  for  us  to  attend 
to  them. 

It  is  wrong,  and  inexpedient,  either  from  Ecclesiastical,  or 
Political,  motives,  to  force  a  language  on  a  people.  France, 
Germany  and  Russia  are  always  following  this  baneful  policy, 
but  with  doubtful  success.  Great  Britain  has  never  done  so. 
How  should  we  like  to  have  our  Sunday-Schools  taught  in 
French,  and  to  have  every  ray  of  religious  light  pass  through  a 
foreign  medium !  Let  us  be  firm  in  the  principle,  that  every 
man,  woman,  and  child,  has  a  divine  and  human  congenital  right 
to  have  the  Promises  of  Jesus  conveyed  to  them  in  the  very 
language,  in  which  they  order  their  households,  manage  their 
affairs,  and  speak  to  each  other.  It  can  and  will  be  done,  if  we 
go  on  in  the  way,  in  which  we  have  begun. 

I  close  with  certain  suggestions  for  the  more  efficient  carrying 
out  of  the  work,  viewing  the  matter  as  I  habitually  do,  not  in  the 
interest  of  this  Society,  or  that,  but  in  the  interest  of  Bible-Work 
all  over  the  world,  by  whomsoever  done.  It  is  such  a  great  and 
serious  error,  to  place  the  interests  of  a  Society  above  the  interests 
of  the  Work,  for  which  the  Society  is  formed.  And  yet  it  is  the 
common  weakness  of  Secretaries,  and  of  good  men,  who  have 
one  Committee  only.  So  long  as  the  work  is  done,  and  done 
well,  let  the  Society,  and  the  Individual,  perish,  and  the  Kingdom 
of  God  be  advanced. 

At  page  53  I  enumerated  the  five  great  Missionary  Bible- 
Societies,    as    distinguished  from  the  smaller  Societies,  which 


(     98     ) 

I  ventured  with  every  feeling  of  respect  to  call  Bible-Clubs. 
It  is  to  be  hoped,  that  the  almost  impalpable  wall  of  division,  that 
segregates,  rather  than  separates,  the  Baptist  Bible-Translation 
Society  from  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society,  will  in 
course  of  time  crumble  away,  and,  since  love,  and  mutual  esteem, 
and  free  interchange  of  translations,  have  ever  existed,  the  two 
portions  of  the  same  original  body  may  be  reunited.  This  would 
leave  four  great  Missionary  Bible-Societies.  There  exist  indeed 
in  England  two  other  Bible-Societies,  one  deserving  of  the  highest 
commendation,  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge, 
but  Bible-work  is  only  a  part  of  its  work.  And  the  other  Associa- 
tion is  only  deserving  of  pity  and  oblivion. 

But  since  the  union  and  strengthening  of  the  great  German 
Empire,  the  Parent  of  Protestantism,  the  possibility  of  the  Union 
into  one  great  German  Missionary  Bible-Society  of  all  the  small 
Bible-Clubs,  which  exist  in  that  country,  is  looked  forward  to. 
How  imperfectly  those  small  Associations  grasp  the  idea  of  their 
high  office  is  proved  by  the  fact,  that  in  one  Association  the  sale 
of  Bibles  to  Roman  Catholics  is  forbidden,  and  in  another  the 
sale  of  translations  in  any  other  European  language  except 
German  seems  to  be  difficult.  Germany  has  now  advanced  to 
the  position  of  a  great  Colonial  Power :  let  it  remember  its  duty, 
as  well  as  its  opportunities.  Its  Missionary  Societies  have  long 
been  among  the  foremost  and  best  in  every  part  of  the  world, 
except  Oceania.  The  time  has  come  for  a  great  German  Bible- 
Society  ;  then  there  will  be  five  great  Missionary  Associations  to 
supply  the  world  with  copies  of  the  Word  of  God. 

These  Societies  should  form  themselves  into  an  alliance,  and, 
while  they  maintain  entire  individual  autonomy,  settle  certain 
fixed  principles.  They  should  divide  the  world  Geographically 
among  themselves,  and,  following  the  example  of  the  great  Mis- 
sionary Societies,  not  overlap  each  other.  It  is  a  waste  of  time 
and  resources  to  have  three  Societies  at  work  in  the  compara- 
tively unimportant  Islands  of  Japan,  while  China  is  so  imperfectly 
supplied,  and  many  parts  of  the  world,  notably  South  America, 
are  starving.  The  first  and  most  obvious  duty  of  a  Bible- 
Society  is  that  of  supplying  its  own  Missionary  Societies  with 
Bibles :  why  should  not  the  National  Society  of  Scotland,  the 
Netherlands  Bible-Society,  and  the  great  German  Bible-Society, 
which  I  have  summoned  to  appear,  do  this  work  ?  Why  should 
in  Europe  Colporteurs  from  different  Societies  work  in  the  same 
region,  crossing  each  other,  and  treading  in  each  other's  steps  ? 

The  American  Society  has  withdrawn  from  Greece,  and  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society  has  withdrawn  from  Cuba. 
This  is  a  step  in  the  right  direction.  But  a  much  larger  measure 
of  division  of  Empire  is  required,  so  as  to  economize  the  avail- 
able resources,  and  the  end  will  only  be  obtained,  when  those. 


(     99     ) 

who  rule,  recognize  as  paramount,  not  the  supposed  rights  of  a 
Society,  but  the  claims  of  the  non-Christian  world.  I  speak  boldly, 
because  in  this  matter  all  are  in  fault.  If  delegates  from  the 
Societies  met  with  a  Map  of  the  World  before  them,  a  scheme 
would  soon  be  worked  out,  which  would  satisfy  all  requirements. 
I  had  hoped,  that  the  meeting  of  so  many  delegates  of  Missionary 
Societies  this  year  in  London  for  the  International  Missionary 
Congress  might  prove  an  opportunity  for  advancing  this  measure. 
Delegates  of  the  American' Bible-Society,,  and  of  the  National 
Bible-Society  of  Scotland,  did  indeed  meet  delegates  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society,  and  discussed  in  a  most 
friendly  spirit  many  subjects,  and  no  doubt  this  is  a  step  in 
advance.  A  few  days  previously  I  placed  in  the  hands  of  these 
delegates,  and  other  friends,  a  letter,  a  copy  of  which  is  appended, 
urging  a  large  and  comprehensive  measure :  but  the  subject  was 
avoided:  when  delegations  meet,  they  have  no  instructions:  when 
they  are  in  their  own  Committees,  they  have  no  opportunity  to 
confer :  it  is  a  misfortune  always  to  see  five  years  ahead  beyond 
one's  colleagues :  some  measure  of  this  kind  must  sooner  or 
later  be  adopted :  but  men's  minds  are  not  yet  ripe.  Secretaries 
like  in  their  Reports  to  be  able  to  talk  of  their  work  in  this 
country,  or  that  country,  though  the  work  in  those  countries 
is  ridiculously  insignificant,  and  wasteful :  it  is  another  instance 
of  a  love  for  the  Society  exceeding  love  for  the  work  of  the  Lord. 

I  quote  the  words  of  a  deceased  Secretary,  which  seem  to 
approach  very  close  to  my  idea  : 

But  as  to  the  occupation  of  territory,  it  may  be  possible  for  us  to  carry  our 
agreement  further  than  hitherto.  It  is  very  pleasant  to  feel,  that  there  is  no 
corner  of  the  world,  into  which  our  work  does  not  reach,  that  the  sun  never  sets 
upon  our  colporteurs,  and  that  there  is  no  such  manual  of  universal  geography 
as  the  report  of  a  Bible-Society  ;  but  we  shall  do  well  to  consider,  whether  others 
may  not  be  able  in  some  Fields  to  do  the  necessary  work  without  our  help, 
setting  us  free  for  other  fields,  which  as  yet  we  have  scarcely  touched. 

In  addition  to  the  questions  of  editions,  and  prices,  on  which 
consultation  might  well  be  held,  the  important  question  of  the 
modes  of  translating,  or  transliterating,  the  Divine  Name,  should 
be  settled,  before  the  danger  of  mischief  spreads  further.  Future 
generations  maybe  hopelessly  separated  in  rival  and  even  hostile 
Churches  by  the  use  of  different  names  for  the  same  Hebrew  or 
Greek  word. 

Each  Society  should  supply  itself  with  copies  of  the  transla- 
tions, made  by  the  other  Societies,  and  not  restrict  the  use  of  its 
shelves  to  its  own  translations.  This  is  a  very  narrow  view  of 
Bible-work.  I  have  repeatedly  been  unable  to  supply  myself, 
or  a  friend  passing  through  London  to  some  distant  part  of  the 
world,  with  a  copy  of  a  particular  translation,  and  have  received 
the  reply,  that  I  must  apply  to  New  York,  or  Edinburgh,  or 
Amsterdam,  or  even   to   Sydney,  Batavia,    and   the    Sandwich 


(     loo     ) 

Islands.  This  should  not  be.  If  a  book  is  published  in  a 
distant  Colony,  copies  should  be  sent  -to  the  Parent-Society  in 
sufficient  number  to  supply  the  Sister-Societies.  At  any  rate  the 
lists  given  in  my  Appendix  indicate  what  languages  have  been 
translated  and  published  by  Bible-Societies.  It  would  be  an  act 
of  courtesy  and  kindness,  if  Missionary  Societies  would  forward 
to  all  Bible-Societies  copies  of  translations,  which  they  print 
in  their  Mission-Presses.  We  must  work  solidly  shoulder  to 
shoulder. 

The  policy  of  withdrawal  from  Protestant  Countries  should 
be  firmly  acted  upon.  The  Bible  is  the  glory  of  a  Protestant 
Country.  How  then  can  Germany,  the  Protestant  Cantons 
of  Switzerland,  Holland,  Denmark,  Norway,  and  Finland, 
condescend  to  receive  a  supply  of  cheap  Bibles,  supplied  to 
them  by  Great  Britain,  and  North  America  }  We  require  all 
our  resources  for  the  Roman  Catholic,  the  Mahometan,  and  the 
Heathen.  Reasonable  notice  should  be  given,  and  the  agencies 
be  withdrawn.  This  must  be  done  in  concert  by  all  the 
Societies,  because  it  is  a  great  principle,  on  which  the  duty  of 
supplying  Bibles  is  based. 

I'hen  again  some  relaxation  is  required  of  the  Rules  with 
regard  to  the  Apocrypha.  It  is  distinctly  understood,  that  the 
American,  Scottish,  and  British  and  Foreign  Societies  restrict 
themselves  to  the  Inspired  Word  of  God,  but  it  cannot  be 
necessary  to  forbid  the  granting  of  pecuniary  aid  to  a  Foreign 
Society,  which  has  not  unlimited  resources,  because  it 
circulates  the  Apocrypha,  such  aid  being  applied  only  to  the 
Books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  For  instance,  aid  can- 
not be  given  now  to  the  Bible-Societies  of  Norway  to  print  the 
Inspired  Word  in  the  Lapp  Language,  because  those  Societies 
circulate  the  Apocrypha  in  Norwegian.  This  is  unreasonable, 
and  injurious  to  the  Lord's  work. 

It  would  be  very  difficult,  if  desirable,  to  prove  or  enforce  a 
legal  copyright  in  a  translation  of  the  Bible :  but  a  moral  right 
should  be  admitted  by  courtesy  for  (say)  forty  years :  after 
which  period  the  translation  belongs  to  the  public,  and  can  be 
freely  used.  Within  the  period  the  comity  of  Societies  suggests, 
that  the  owner  of  the  translation  should  have  a  control  over  it, 
and  that  the  supply  of  copies,  and  the  licence  to  change  certain 
specific  words,  such  as  to  substitute  "baptism"  for  "immersion," 
and  vice  versa,  should  rest  with  the  owner.  A  compact  of  this 
kind  exists  between  the  British  Societies.  Any  attempt  after  the 
lapse  of  forty  years  to  forbid  the  use  of,  or  the  alteration  of 
terms,  is  as  futile,  as  it  is  injudicious. 

It  is  a  convenience,  and  an  economy,  to  have  one  Depot,  and 
Colporteur,  and  Staff  for  the  Bible-Society,  and  the  Tract-Society  ; 
but  in  Roman  Catholic  countries  there  is  this  drawback,  that  in 


(       lOI      ) 

the  event  of  a  Priest,  or  a  sincere  Roman  Catholic,  entering  the 
Depot  to  purchase  a  Bible,  he  would  have  his  feelings  shocked 
by  taking  up  books  of  the  Tract-Soqiety,  exposing  (no  doubt 
with  truth)  tHe  errors  of  Rome.  The  Bible  requires  no  such 
collateral  aid,  and  it  is  desirable,  that  it  should  be  the  only  book 
sold.  Of  course,  there  is  no  objection  of  this  kind  in  Mahometan, 
and  Heathen,  countries. 

I  am  totally  opposed  to  the  practice  of  prefixing  to  certain 
versions  of  the  French  and  German  Scriptures  copies  of  the 
Imprimatur  of  Roman  Catholic  Bishops  of  a  former  generation. 
We  all  know,  that  no  Bishop  would  under  any  circumstances 
give  an  Imprimatur  noiv ;  therefore  in  practice  it  is  deceitful : 
but  it  is  derogatory  to  the  dignity  of  the  Bible,  that  it  should  be 
supposed  to  require  the  human  recommendation  of  Pope  or  Caesar, 
of  Bishop  or  Governor. 

The  Bible  is  always,  and  always  will  be,  up  to  the  high-level 
mark  of  Human  Knowledge.  Commentators  are  not  so.  Their 
views  vary  from  generation  to  generation,  from  denomination  to 
denomination,  from  Church  to  Church,  from  one  social  class  to 
another.  They  presume  the  existence  of  certain  knowledge  in 
their  readers,  to  which  they  appeal,  and  often  with  mere  half- 
knowledge  they  attempt  to  illustrate  the  full  Divine  Knowledge, 
which  they  are  quite  unable  to  comprehend.  The  Word  and 
the  Work  of  the  great  Creator  must  be  in  harmony,  though  we 
cannot  always,  through  the  weakness  of  our  intelligence,  reconcile 
them.  Wisely  therefore  the  Bible-Societies  forbid  all  note  and 
comment,  not  so  much  out  of  respect  to  the  difference  of 
denominations,  of  which  their  body  is  composed,  as  to  the 
Divine  Book  itself.  I  remark  with  regret  a  process  of  whittling 
away  this  fundamental  Rule.  In  alternative  readings,  based  on 
philological  grounds  solely,  there  is  no  danger,  but  in  marginal 
references,  and  Chapter-headings,  there  is  danger.  In  a  Roman 
Catholic  version  of  Genesis  the  passage  of  the  Serpent  bruising 
the  heel  of  the  Woman,  is  illustrated  by  a  marginal  reference  to 
the  Woman  in  the  Apocalypse.  A  deceased  Secretary  expresses 
himself  as  follows,  and  I  cannot  agree  with  him  : 

It  may,  however,  be  asked,  whether  this  deepening  of  the  channel  would  be 
consistent  with  the  simple  aim  of  Bible-Societies,  which  is  to  circulate  the 
Scriptures  without  note  or  comment.  Now  it  should  not  be  forgotten,  that  this 
rule  about  note  or  comment  has  never  been  interpreted  in  the  strictness  and 
bondage  of  the  letter.  It  has  not  been  taken  to  exclude  chapter-headings,  for 
example,  and  marginal  references  ;  nay,  maps,  alternative  readings,  prefatory 
notes  giving  the  authority  of  the  text  chosen,  and  occasionally,  in  foreign 
tongues,  glossaries  of  technical  Hebrew  and  Greek  words  have  been  allowed, 
on  the  ground,  that  they  were  not  notes  in  the  sense  intended  by  the  framers  of 
the  rule,  but  only  assistant  translations,  and  statements  of  fact,  which  made 
clearer  the  words  of  Holy  Writ. 

The  very  substitution  of  a  capital  letter  for  an  ordinary  letter 


(       102      ) 

in  this  critical  age  has  a  covert  meaning.  A  certain  living  Privy 
Councillor,  well  known  in  Literature,  in  his  books  always  spells 
the  Divine  name  with  a  little  g,  as  a  token  of  his  disbelief  in 
Him.  The  fool  of  modern  days  is  of  the  same  kind  as  his 
prototype  in  the  time  of  David. 

Another  question  requires  serious  reflection.  I  discussed 
with  a  certain  Bishop,  a  well-known  friend  of  the  Society,  the 
expediency  of  limiting  the  translation  of  the  Old  Testament  for 
the  use  of  tribes  in  a  low  state  of  culture  to  certain  selected 
Books,  not  so  much  for  the  purpose  of  economy,  as  not  to 
confuse  the  mind  of  the  reader.  He  quite  agreed  with  me,  but 
who  shall  define  the  books  to  be  omitted,  at  least  for  the  first 
generation  ?  I  placed  the  same  subject  before  one  of  our  oldest 
and  soundest  translators,  and  Missionaries,  and  he  replied  as 
follows : 

I  believe  in  the  educational  value  of  the  entire  Bible.  Parts  that  to  us  are 
of  little  interest  are  most  attractive  to  savages,  for  the  first  time  listening  to 
Bible  teaching.  I  never  cared  for  the  genealogies  of  the  Bible  until  my  own 
converts  put  me  to  shame  by  showing  an  almost  perfect  acquaintance  with  such 
matters.  The  man  with  the  longest  pedigree  in  the  island  is  the  most  respected. 
But  of  course,  the  great  thing  is  to  give  the  Natives  nil  the  New  Testament, 
the  book  of  Psalms,  the  book  of  Proverbs,  Job,  and  the  first  and  second  books 
of  Moses,  Isaiah,  and  Daniel.  The  stories  in  Judges  have  a  marvellous  power 
of  fascination  for  brave  savages.  It  comes  to  this,  then,  I  would  give  them 
the  entire  Biljle  if  possible.     If  that  cannot  be,  leave  out  as  little  as  possible. 

The  Committee  of  a  Bible-Society  is,  like  other  Missionary 
Societies,  an  assembly  of  prayerful  men,  and  all  meetings 
commence  with  Prayer :  the  business  is  conducted  in  accor- 
dance with  the  precepts  of  the  Book,  which  it  circulates:  there 
is  something  elevating  and  sanctifying  in  the  work,  and  each 
Member  of  the  Committee,  and  each  employee  of  the  Society, 
feels,  that  it  is  well  for  him  to  be  there.  It  is  there,  that  we 
find  sanctified  Science,  and  consecrated  talents,  and  pens. 
While  carnal  men  are  fighting  about  annexation,  or  commerce, 
all  over  the  world,  nothing  but  the  direct  blessing  of  the 
Almighty  would  enable  poor,  weak,  peaceful,  men,  devoid  of 
wealth,  power,  and  influence,  to  carry  through  this  gigantic 
work :  the  idea  of  it  would  never  have  suggested  itself  to  any 
one,  but  an  Anglo-Saxon  Protestant,  and  with  that  race  alone 
rests  the  proud  privilege,  and  peculiar  blessing,  of  sending  out 
the  Word  of  God  to  every  part  of  the  world.  And  what  a 
deep  insight  this  familiar  handling  of  the  Word  gives  us  into 
the  Revealed  Truth  ?  Could  any  other  Book  stand  such  micro- 
scopic introspection  into  every  sentence,  and  sometimes  every 
word  }  Hours  have  been  spent  this  very  year,  and  not  unprofit- 
ably,  by  earnest,  busy,  serious,  men  as  to  how  one  word  of  only 
four  letters — the  great  Tetragrammata — should  be  rendered. 
For  myself  I  can  only  express  the  exceeding  honour,  joy  and 


(     I03     ) 

profit,  which  I  have  derived  during  the  last  ten  years  from  the 
Bible-House.  Many  great  and  noble  men  visit  it,  and  letters 
of  thanks  come  to  us  from  the  ends  of  the  earth.  It  is  a  great 
blessing  to  be  always  giving,  and  seeking  nothing  but  thanks  in 
return. 

The  simplicity  of  object,  and  the  good  faith  in  practice,  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society,  has  done  much  during  the 
last  twenty  years  to  draw  together  Christians  of  different  views, 
and  this  may  be  pronounced  to  be  a  great  incidental  blessing. 
Blessed  are  the  Peacemakers,  and  the  Bible  is  the  great  Peace- 
maker. One  of  our  most  learned  Bishops  has,  for  many  years, 
presided  at  our  first  meeting  for  business  in  May,  and  told  us  of 
the  progress  of  the  work  in  the  two  great  Translation-Companies 
at  Westminster,  and  still  presides  to  give  us  the  benefit  of  his 
experience,  and  counsel.  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel,  under  the  gentle  influences  of  the  time,  is  no  longer 
estranged  from  us,  but  helps  us  in  the  distribution  of  the  Bible 
through  Bible-Women,  and  receives  from  us  a  grant  for  that 
purpose.  I  remember  the  time,  when  the  Bible-Society  was 
mentioned  in  certain  circles,  as  a  kind  of  illicit  connection  for  a 
Churchman  to  enter  into :  if  in  my  boldness  I  mentioned  its 
name,  a  Church  dignitary  would  reprove  me,  and  say : 

You  mean  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge. 

My  reply  was  : 

I  mean  what  I  say,  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  I  know  and 
value  the  S.P.C.K.,  and  am  a  member  of  the  Translation-Committee  of  that 
Society,  but  my  remarks  apply  to  the  Bible-Society. 

All  such  narrowness  of  vision  has  disappeared.  Among  all 
the  Missionaries  in  the  Field,  none  has  been  more  valued  at  the 
Bible-House  than  Bishop  Steere  of  Equatorial  Africa,  and  I 
rejoice  to  find  in  the  Memoirs  of  that  large-hearted  man  (1888) 
the  following  remarks : 

The  Bishop  had  long  learnt  that,  which  so  many  Chtirchmen  still  fail  to 
perceive,  how  without  the  generous  aid  of  the  Bible-Society,  it  would  be  utterly 
impossible  for  the  Church  to  carry  on  her  Mission-work  efficiently  :  and  there 
was  no  place,  where  he  was  so  gladly  welcomed,  ox  felt  himself  more  at  home, 
than  in  his  visits  to  the  Bible- House. 

When  he  accepted  the  post  of  Vice-President,  an  honour  which 
is  only  bestowed  on  Bishops,  who  are  friends  of  the  Society,  he 
modestly  remarked : 

That  he  had  long  vi^ished  to  do  what  he  could  for  the  cause  of  the  Society  : 
that  the  obligation  was  all  on  one  side,  and  that  was  his :  that  he  felt,  that  his 
•work  must  be  all  unsound,  without  a  Vernacular  Bible,  and  that  the  Society  had 
made  this  possible  to  him. 

The  obligation  was  not  so  entirely  on  the  Bishop's  side.  The 
Society  had  long  looked  upon  the  East  Coast  of  Africa,  and  the 


(     104     ) 

Equatorial  region,  with  a  feeling  of  despair.  A  wise  Providence 
selected  Bishop  Steere  for  his  office  at  Zanzibar,  and  all  has 
become  light,  for  the  Swahili  translation  is  becoming  the  proto- 
type, and  the  model,  for  all  other  translations  in  the  kindred 
languages  of  that  vast  region. 

The  Members  of  the  International  Congress  of  Missionaries, 
the  Members  of  the  Pan-Presbyterian  Synod,  and  the  Members 
of  the  Pan-Anglican  Synod  at  Lambeth,  were  all  welcomed  at  the 
Bible-House,  and  in  the  ordinary  meetings  it  is  sometimes 
Pastor  Chiniqui  from  Canada,  or  Count  Campello  from  Italy,  or 
a  Negro  Bishop  or  Archdeacon  from  the  Niger,  or  an  earnest 
friend  on  our  auxiliary  Committee  in  Australia,  or  some  one,  who 
has  done  something  in  some  portion  of  the  world  for  the  Bible, 
that  is  heartily  welcomed,  and  to  none  greater  honour  is  shown, 
and  greater  love  felt,  than  to  the  aged  translators :  what  indeed 
could  the  Society  do,  if  men  of  their  stamp,  their  genius,  their 
devotion,  had  not  been  forthcoming  } 

From  the  Committee-Room,  the  transition  is  easy  to  the 
Platform:  the  Bible-Society  has,  above  all  Societies,  this 
exquisite  advantage,  that  its  meetings  bring  together  good, 
and  worthy  men,  otherwise  separated,  and  unite  them  for  the 
highest  purpose  :  hear  the  words  of  one  speaker : 

It  was  impossible  not  to  be  struck  with  the  tone  of  nearly  all  that  was  said, 
a  tone,  that  could  have  been  heard  and  loved  and  caught  and  retained  in  days 
of  deep  spiritual  appreciation,  viz.  that  to  have  come  to  God  in  His  Word,  to 
have  heard  His  voice  there,  to  have  recognized  in  it  the  clear,  distinct  message 
of  the  invisible  God,  guaranteeing  to  every  penitent,  faithful  listener  an  act  of 
Divine  pardon,  an  assurance  of  Divine  love,  a  place  in  God's  family,  a  home 
in  God's  eternal  kingdom,  was  a  fact,  that  could  not  but  make  the  difficulties 
that  had  been  referred  to  so  frankly  and  discussed  so  candidly,  appear  in  their 
true  light ;  by  comparison  small ;  by  spiritual  estimation  mean  ;  petty  by  practical 
result  ;  by  their  effect  upon  men's  minds  poor  and  miserable.  There  is 
no  doubt,  that  in  the  Bible-Society's  work  two  principal  blessings  are 
poured  out  upon  men.  There  is,  even  when  both  are  recognized  as  principal 
blessings,  still  a  distinction  between  them.  Some  work  and  gain  one  blessing  ; 
some  work  and  gain  them  both.  Some  give  to  the  work  of  spreading  the 
Word  of  God  a  place  in  their  hearts  altogether  alone.  To  them  "the  two 
only  absolute  and  luminously  self-evident  truths,"  God  and  their  own  souls, 
are  found  corroborated  by  authority  immutable  in  the  words  of  the  Word  of 
God.  To  that  oracle  they  listen,  in  that  temple  they  worship,  to  that  summons 
they  yield,  upon  that  assurance  they  rest,  as  upon  the  arm  of  God  Himself.  To 
believe  it  is  life,  to  spread  it  is  charity,  to  proclaim  it  is  bare  loyalty  to  Christ. 

And  again,  in  the  great  Metropolitan  Cathedral : 

Rather  because  she  saw  how  hot  the  battles  raged  with  ignorance  and 
infidelity,  and  how,  down  all  the  line,  if  victory  were  to  come,  there  must  be 
implements  of  war  ready  for  every  hand  ;  and  just  because  she  felt  the  great 
need  for  supplies,  without  joining  herself  to  any  one  squadron  of  that  great  host 
of  God,  she  stepped  back  from  the  figliting  ranks,  and  left  the  actual  hand-to- 
hand  encounter  with  the  foe,  that  she  might  look  to  the  whole  host's  supply, 
that  slie  might  open  out  an  armoury  for  God  ;  tiiat  she  might  find  for  all  the 
brave  fighting  bands  of  Christendom,  under  whatever  garb  or  ensign  they  might 


(     I05     ) 

Serve,  and  in  whatever  land  they  brought  God's  war,  the  one  bright  unmatched 
blade,  with  which  they  could  go  forth,  "  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
Word  of  God." 

Round  the  Colporteur,  and  the  Bible-woman,  a  great  literature 
of  anecdotes  is  springing  up.  Not  disobedient  to  the  heavenly 
vision,  these  good  people,  poor  in  circumstances,  rich  in  faith, 
do  their  work,  a  work,  for  which  they  seem  to  have  been  specially 
ordained.  I  have  seen  and  conversed  with  many  of  them  in 
different  and  far-distant  countries,  from  the  Caspian  to  the 
Atlantic,  and  wondered,  if  these  good  fellows  had  not  been 
Colporteui;s,  for  what  other  possible  purpose  they  were  born : 
their  very  existence  is  a  living  witness  of  the  power  of  the  Spirit. 
I  know  of  no  other  book,  for  the  sale  of  which  a  man  or  woman 
would  risk  their  lives,  or  run  the  chance  of  being  beaten.  We 
must  not  moan  over  the  destruction  of  books-  by  the  malignity 
of  the  Priests  :  to  our  eyes  there  is  a  great  waste  of  human  life, 
where  so  many  are  born,  and  so  few  do  anything  to  justify  their 
birth :  but,  if  one  man  in  a  hundred  does  something,  let  the 
other  ninety-nine  perish.  The  Colporteur  should  take  heed  not 
to  speak  of  his  Society,  or  his  Depot,  or  his  Sect,  or  his  Church, 
but  stand  forth  as  a  Messenger  of  Christ :  he  injures  the  cause 
by  intruding  the  names  of  Societies,  of  Countries,  or  Denomina- 
tions. In  the  midst  of  all  his  troubles,  all  his  labours,  all  his 
privations,  he  has  sweet  moments,  when  he  watches  the  effect  of 
his  words,  carried  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  right  into  the 
hearts  of  a  simple  audience.  As  he  reads  of  the  Crucifixion, 
and  the  Resurrection,  the  words  leap  from  the  mouths  of  his 
hearers :  "  Can  this  be  true  }  Read  that  again.  I  have  often 
dreamt  of  such  things  vaguely :  now  I  realize  them."  Yes ! 
true  as  the  Sun  in  mid-heaven,  certain  as  the  revolution  of  the 
Moon  and  the  Planets,  and  the  return  of  Spring  and  Summer : 
believed  in  by  Millions  :  the  link,  that  unites  all  the  children  of 
men  ! 

In  my  annual  tours  (free-will  offerings  to  the  great  cause),  I  have 
seen  these  things,  heard  these  things,  touched  the  hands  of  these 
good  men;  and  watched  them  trudging  along  the  streets,  with 
their  bag  of  Bibles  on  their  shoulder,  and  one  copy  open  in  their 
hands.  Every  part  of  Europe,  Western  Asia,  and  North  Africa  (save 
Tripolitana),  has  been  visited :  one  year  I  was  in  Norway  discussing 
the  Lapp  translation,  the  next  year  on  the  Cataracts  of  the  Nile, 
listening  to  men  speaking  in  the  language  of  the  Nubians :  then  on 
the  shores  of  the  Caspian  Sea,  or  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  or  down  in 
the  Sahara  of  Algeria,  or  at  Cape  Spartel  in  Morocco.  JMuch 
as  I  have  travelled,  I  have  never  got  beyond  the  influence  of  the 
Bible-Societies:  as  I  stood  on  a  steamer  on  the  Caspian,  thinking 
that  I  had  done  something,  I  was  humbled  by  the  appearance 
of  a  Colporteur,  who,  with  his  life  in  his  hand,  and  his  bag  of 


(     io6    ) 

Bibles  on  his  back,  had  worked  his  way  to  Bokhara,  sold  his 
books,  and  got  safe  back  again.  I  am  now  starting  to  Orenberg 
on  the  confines  of  Europe  and  Asia,  to  inform  myself  more 
satisfactorily  of  the  particular  languages,  spoken  in  those  mysteri- 
ous regions,  with  a  view  to  future  translations. 

We  may  sometimes  bring  the  message  too  late,  and  only  have 
time  to  read  passages  over  the  graves  of  the  last  of  an  expiring 
race.  John  Eliot  in  1666  translated  a  portion  of  the  Bible  into 
the  language  of  the  Algonquin  of  North  America,  one  of  which 
was  the  Mohican  :  the  whole  Bible  was  translated  in  1685  in  one 
of  these  languages  :  all  are  obsolete.  The  Lord  has  gathered 
into  His  fold  all,  who  used  those  forms  of  speech,  but,  being 
enshrined  in  the  Word  of  God,  that  speech  will  live  for  ever. 
The  same  sad  phenomenon  is  expected  in  the  Islands  of  Oceania. 
Native  tribes  cannot  co-exist  with  European  civilization  :  many 
tribes  are  year  by  year  dwindling,  and  will  soon  pass  away.  From 
the  New  Hebrides,  the  Loyalty  Islands,  and  Polynesia,  we  receive 
the  same  sad  intelligence,  the  same  Banshee-cry,  that  the  end  is 
at  hand.  Translations,  that  have  been  made,  will  soon  be  placed 
on  the  shelf,  as  literary  curiosities.  No  human  efforts  can 
control  this  march  of  events,  or  arrest  this  evil,  if  indeed  it  is  an 
evil.  The  matter  is  in  God's  hand,  who  does  all  things  well. 
We  have  many  cases,  where  the  Nation  has  outlived  its  original 
language :  here  we  have  the  reverse,  where  the  language  outlives 
the  Nation.     Still  the  words  of  John  of  Gaunt  stand  good  : 

We  will  not  be  the  dregs  of  all,  seeing  that  other  Nations  have  the  Law  of 
God,  which  is  the  law  of  our  Faith,  written  in  their  own  language. 

Such  is  our  duty,  our  maxim,  and  our  practice. 

"The  Earth  shall  be  full  of  the  Knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover 
the  Sea." 


JFfm's. 


(     107    ) 


APPENDIX  (p.  99). 

May  31J/,  1888. 
Dear  Friends, 

I  seize  the  occasion  of  representative  members  of  the  Scotch 
and  American  Bible-Societies  being  in  London,  to  press  upon 
them,  the  expediency  of  considering  with  the  Committee  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society,  some  principles  for  dividing 
territorially  the  great  works  of  "Translation"  and  "Distribu- 
tion," so  as  not  to  waste  power,  produce  friction,  and  cause 
unnecessary  expenditure  of  our  joint  resources. 

The  three  great  Societies  are  the  above  named.  The  Bible- 
Society  of  Holland,  a  Protestant  Country,  should  be  encouraged 
to  provide  for  its  own  people,  and  the  Dutch  Colonies,  from 
which  other  Societies  should  absolutely  and  at  once  withdraw. 

Pending  the  constitution  of  a  German  Bible-Society  for  its 
Roman  Catholic  Home-work,  its  Colonies,  and  Missions,  the 
three  great  Societies  must  do  the  work  for  them,  but  under  a 
solemn  protest,  that  the  German  Protestant  Churches  are  failing 
in  the  discharge  of  their  obvious  duty. 

The  smaller  Societies,  such  as  the  Trinitarian,  and  Baptist 
Bible-Society,  need  not  be  alluded  to. 

The  Missionary  Societies  of  all  Nations  have  certain  principles 
of  Inter-Mission  Comity,  which  are  fairly  adhered  to  :  they  do 
not,  except  in  the  case  of  large  cities,  intrude  into  areas  already 
occupied,  and  they  unite  in  sending  delegates,  when  required,  to 
conduct  translations  and  revisions  of  the  Scriptures. 

The  position  of  Bible-Societies  is  different,  and  it  appears  to 
me  expedient,  that  certain  principles  of  Inter-Society  Comity 
should  be  agreed  upon.     I  proceed  to  make  suggestions. 

A.    Translating  Work  and  Printing. 

I.  There  is  no  manner  of  good  in  two  or  more  Societies 
undertaking  this  work  in  common.  It  is  obvious,  that  the 
Missionaries  of  all  Denominations  and  Nations  will  supply  the 
translators,  and  it  is  far  better  that  the  expenditure  should  be 
supplied  by  one  Society,  and  the  version  belong  to  that  Society, 
which  will  of  course  allow  its  Sister- Societies  to  supply  them- 
selves with  copies,  or  even  with  duplicate  plates,  under 
conditions  to  be  laid  down  by  Rule  III. 


(     108     ) 

II.  It  is  a  subject  of  much  regret,  and  of  hindrance  to  the 
Lord's  work,  when  two  distinct  versions  are  made  of  the  same 
language  in  different  dialects  and  characters.  In  a  very  great 
language,  like  Mandarin-Chinese,  this  may  be  inevitable ;  but  in 
the  case  of  the  Ashanti  and  Fanti  it  is  inexcusable.  The  Bible- 
Societies  should  decline  to  be  guided  by  one  Missionary,  or  one 
Denomination  of  Missionaries,  and  act  upon  understood 
principles,  after  consulting,  if  necessary,  with  Sister-Bible- 
Societies. 

III.  Rules  for  supply  of  copies,  or  plates,  must  be  laid  down 
at  certain  rates. 

IV.  There  can  exist  no  legal  copyright  in  a  version  of  the 
Bible  ;  but  a  moj-al  copyright  should  be  recognized  by  the  Sister- 
Societies  for  a  term  of  forty  years,  after  which  date  the  version 
must  be  deemed  common  property,  whether  it  belonged  to  a 
Bible-Society  or  a  Missionary-Society.  "  The  Word  of  God  is 
not  bound." 

V.  No  reprint  of  such  a  version,  without  the  leave  of  the 
Society,  which  owns  the  version,  should  be  made  within  the 
term  of  forty  years,  and  it  follows,  that  within  that  period  any 
alteration  of  terms,  such  as  the  rendering  of  the  word  /ia7rT/o-/ta, 
should  be  made  only  with  special  permission.  The  Societies 
should  bear  in  mind,  not  their  own  prejudices,  or  rights,  but  the 
wants  of  the  Native  Churches.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  quite 
powerful  enough  to  protect  its  own  inspired  utterances  without 
our  poor  assistance. 


B.     Distribution. 

I.  The  maintenance  of  an  expensive  agency  of  two  or  more 
Societies  in  one  country  to  carry  on  the  same  work  is  deeply 
to  be  deplored  ;  it  is  a  sheer  waste  of  resources,  which  might 
better  be  employed  elsewhere,  where  there  is  no  agency,  or  by 
the  subdivision  of  an  agency,  which  is  too  large  for  the  territory 
assigned  to  it. 

II.  The  remedy  is,  that  the  Managers  of  each  Society  should 
consider  their  position  before  God,  and  their  duty  towards  the 
non-Christian  world,  and  be  ready  to  sacrifice  prejudices,  or 
predilections,  for  the  furtherance  of  God's  work. 

III.  As  a  Geographer,  Linguist,  and  Ethnologist,  and  caring 
more  for  the  Bible  than  any  particular  Society,  I  make  the 
following  suggestions : 

A.  Will  the  American  Bible-Society  take  over  the  whole  of 
America,  North  and  South,  with  the  exception  of  the 
British  Colonies,  and  Tierra  del  Fuego,  where  there  is  a 
small  British  jMission,  working  under  difficulties  } 


(     109    ) 

B.  Will  the  American   Bible-Society  withdraw  entirely  from 

Europe,  with  the  exception  of  Turkey  in  Europe  ?  If  the 
same  Spanish  or  Portuguese  translations  are  acceptable 
on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  they  can  be  freely  used,  but 
each  Society  should  act  independently  within  its  own 
region. 

C.  Will  the  National  Society  of  Scotland  take  over  Spain  and 

Portugal,  and  withdraw  from  the  rest  of  Europe  ? 

D.  Will  the  National  Society  of  Scotland  undertake  to  supply 

the  Presbyterian  Missions  in  the  New  Hebrides  and  South 
Africa  ? 

E.  Will  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society  withdraw  (say) 

within  a  term  of  five  years,  from  every  Protestant  Kingdom 
of  Europe,  and  the  Protestant  portions  of  mixed  kingdoms, 
like  Germany,  leaving  it  to  the  Protestant  Churches  in 
those  countries  to  supply  their  own  flocks,  but  maintain- 
ing its  agencies  to  supply  Roman  Catholics  in  Germany, 
until  the  German  Bible-Society  is  ready  ? 

F.  Will  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society  withdraw  from 

Constantinople,  and  every  Province  of  Turkey,  where  the 
Osmanli  Turki,  and  the  Western  dialect  of  Armenian,  are 
spoken  ? 

G.  Will    the  three    Societies   agree,    that   one   out   of   their 

number  should  withdraw  from  Japan,  and  open  a  fourth 
agency  in  Central  China  ?     Will  they  also  agree,  that  a 
fifth  agency  should  be  opened  in  China,  by  one  of  the 
three    Societies,    and    that    that    kingdom    be    divided 
territorially,  and  the  five  agencies  be  assigned  to  one  or 
other  of  the  three  Societies,  with  reference  to  the  pre- 
ponderance    of    Missionary    Societies     of    their     own 
Nationality  in  each  subdivision  ? 
I  remark  with  regret  symptoms  of  jealousy,  rivalry,  and  mis- 
understanding, where  no  such  feelings  ought  to  exist ;    we  are 
all  engaged  in  the  same  blessed  work,  and  there  should  be  no 
overlapping   of    areas ;     it   was  an    initial   error  to   open   three 
agencies  in  the  petty  kingdom  of  Japan,  with  a  population  of 
thirty  millions,  and  not  more  than  two  languages.     In  the  Pro- 
vince of  Bangal  in  British  India  there  is  a  population  of  sixty 
millions,  with   a  great  many  languages ;    while   the   wealth  and 
intellectual  culture  of  Bangal  far  exceed  that  of  Japan,  and  yet 
it  is  only  a  portion  of  the  area  of  a  single  Auxiliary  Society  of 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society.      China  is  inadequately 
supplied,  while  Japan  is  unduly  supplied. 

The  British  and  Foreign  Bible-Society  should  withdraw  from 
the  Dutch  Colonies,  and  throw  its  strength  into  the  remainder 
of  the  Malay  Archipelago  under  British,  Spanish,  and  Portuguese 
influence,  or  independent. 


(     no    ) 

These  are  only  suggestions :  others  ma}'  cover  the  same  ground, 
but  be  more  acceptable.  We  should  try  to  look  ten  years  ahead. 
I  anticipate  great  trouble,  unless  there  is  an  ente?ite  cordialehtiwGQn 
the  Bible-Societies.  Sooner  or  later  they  must  come  to  some 
form  of  territorial  division.  The  number  of  Agencies  must  be 
increased,  and  the  number  of  Depots  and  Colporteurs  indefinitely 
extended.  We  make  the  boast  of  what  we  have  done,  but  we 
take  no  account  of  what  we  have  left  undone.  In  the  Translation 
Department  vast  sums  will  be  required  to  revise  existing  Trans- 
lations of  the  whole  Bible,  complete  Translations,  only  partially 
undertaken  and  not  pressed  on  with  vigour,  and  make  entirely 
new  Translations  of  languages,  which  have  not  yet  been  touched. 
To  get  at  tribes  and  regions  beyond  the  limits  of  regularly 
organized  States,  or  within  the  limits  of  jealous  Governments, 
like  Russia  and  China,  we  must  have  a  superior  class  of  European 
Colporteurs.  There  are  still  millions  in  the  interior  of  Asia, 
Africa,  and  South  America,  who  have  never  heard  of  the  existence 
of  the  Bible.  There  are  Christian  populations  coming  into 
existence,  which  will  have  to  be  supplied,  in  every  part  of  the 
world.  This  of  itself  will  be  a  very  expensive  and  laborious  task, 
requiring  systematic  and  continuous  attention. 

It  is  clear,  that  an  epoch  of  trouble  may  be  expected  in  Africa, 
and  it  is  possible,  that  other  regions  may  be  shut  off  from  European 
contact,  as  Abyssinia,  and  the  Egyptian  Sudan,  now  are.  We 
must  distribute  the  Bible,  while  we  have  the  opportunity.  We 
are  certain  of  the  unceasing  hostility  of  the  French  Roman 
Catholics.  Much  larger  grants  are  required  for  the  Bible- Women 
in  Oriental  countries,  where  the  women  live  a  life  of  seclusion. 
All  the  Societies  should  take  up  this  blessed  work.  In  the  event 
of  the  great  Continental  Powers  determining  on  rigidly  excluding 
from  their  territories  and  colonies  every  foreign  Missionary  (and 
it  is  very  probable  that  they  will  do  so),  it  will  be  on  the  Bible- 
Societies  alone,  that  these  populations  will  depend  for  their 
Gospel-teaching.  This  makes  it  more  important,  that  one  Society, 
and  one  alone,  should  work  in  each  of  the  great  Continental 
kingdoms,  as  the  resident  agent  will  be  well  known,  and  trusted 
by  the  authorities  to  keep  his  own  proper  duties,  and  conform  to 
the  laws  of  the  Empire. 

I  make  these  remarks  as  a  private  individual,  without  consulting 
any  one  at  all.  I  have  been  a  great  traveller,  observer,  and 
organizer,  and  I  see  defects,  which  may  escape  the  observation 
of  those,  who  have  not  studied  the  circumstances  of  the  whole 
world.  It  is  my  heart's  desire  to  see  the  Bible  brought  to  the 
door  of  every  nation  and  tribe  in  their  own  vulgar  tongue,  as 
understood  by  the  women  and  children. 


B.  F.  B.  S.=By  Faith  Be  Saved. 


TABLE  OF  BIBLE-WORK  IN  EVERY 
PART  OF  THE  WORLD  UP  TO 

1888. 


IToXXat    ^tef    Qvij70L<s    f^p^waaai,    jtitaS      dOavaroifftv. 


"Their  sound  has  gone  out  unto  all  Nations,  and  their  words  to  the  end  of 
the  World."— /'J■<^/wJ. 


ABSTRACT. 


I.   Europe 79 

II.    Asia Ill 

III.  Africa 66 

IV.  America  38 

V.    Oceania  43 

Grand  Total 337 


ABBREVIATIONS. 

O.V.  Old  Version. 

S.P.CK.  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge. 

B.F.B.S.  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 

A.B.S.  American  Bible  Society. 

N.B.S.S.  National  Bible  Society  of  Scotland. 

B.T.S.  Bible  Translation  Society  (Baptist). 

R.B.  S.  Russian  Bible  Society. 

Ba.B.S.  Basle  Bible  Society. 

N.B.S.  Netherlands  Bible  Society. 

Br.B.S.  Bremen  Bible  Society. 

C.B.  S.  Coire  Bible  Society. 

D.  B.S.  Danish  Bible  Society. 

No.B.S.  Norwegian  Bible  Society, 

P. B.S.  Prussian  Bible  Society. 

B.M.S.  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

M.M.S.  Moravian  Missionary  Society. 

C.M..S.  Church  Missionary  Society. 

L.M.S.  London  Missionary  Society. 

A. B.M.S.  American  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

A.B.F.  M.  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 

A. P. M.S.  American  Presbyterian  Missionary  Society. 

M.M.  Melanesian  Mission. 

U.M.  Universities  Mission. 

W.M.S.  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

B. B.T.S.  Barma  Bible  and  Tract  Society. 

U.M.S.  United  Methodist  Society. 

F.C.S.M.  Free  Church  of  Scotland  Mission. 

C.P.M.  Canada  Presbyterian  Mission. 

N.S.E.W.C.     Northern,  Southern,  Eastern,  Western,  Central. 

R.  River. 

I.  Island. 

Prov.  Province. 

MS.  Manuscript. 

L.  Lake. 


8 


(     115 


TABLE  OF  LANGUAGES  AND  DIALECTS, 


L  EUROPE. 

A.    ARIAN    FAMILY   (5    Branches). 


(In  Europe.) 

(I)     KELT   BRANCH. 

Name  of 
Language. 

Name  of  Dialect. 

Region. 

Source  of 
Translation 

Welsh 

•  •  • 

Wales 

o.v. 

Gaehc 

,., 

Scotland 

o.v. 

Erse 

•  •• 

Ireland 

o.v. 

Manx 

•  •• 

Isle  of  Man 

o.v. 

Breton 

... 

Brittany,  France 

B.F.B.S. 

(2)     TEUTON   BRANCH. 

EngHsh 

I  Standard 

Great  Britain 

O.V. 

2  Surinam-Negro 

Guiana,  S.  America  B.F.B.S. 

German 

I  Standard 

Germany 

O.V. 

2  Judaeo-German 

do. 

B.B.F.S. 

Dutch 

Standard 

Holland 

O.V. 

Flemish 

... 

Belgium 

O.V. 

Fries 

-  •  • 

Holland 

B.F.B.S. 

Danish 

1  Standard 

Denmark 

O.V. 

2  Creole-Negro 

Danish  W.  Indies 

D.B.S. 

Swedish 

... 

Sweden,  Finland 

O.V. 

Norse 

... 

Norway 

O.V. 

Icelandic 

I  Standard 

Iceland 

(  O.V., 
(  D.B.S. 

2  Faro 

Faro  Island 

D.B.S. 

(     ii6    ) 


Name  of 
Language. 

Name  of  Dialect. 

Region. 

Source  of 
Translation. 

Lithuanian 

I  Standard 

Lithuania 

O.V.,P.B.S, 

2  Samogitian 

do. 

R.B.S. 

Lett 

... 

Livonia,  Courland 

O.V. 

(4)     SLAV   BRANCH.       , 

Old  Slavonic 

Dead,  Liturgical 

O.V. 

Russ 

* .. 

Russia 

O.V. 

Pole 

.  • . 

Poland 

O.V. 

Wend 

I  Upper 

Lusatia,  Germany 

P.B.S. 

2  Lower 

do.            do. 

P.B.S. 

3  Hungarian 

Hungary 

B.F.B.S. 

Czech 

•  • . 

Bohemia 

O.V. 

vSlovak 

... 

N.W.  Hungary 

B.F.B.S. 

Sloven 

... 

S.  Austria 

B.F.B.S. 

Ruth6n 

... 

Little  Russia 

B.F.B.S. 

Serb 

I  Standard 

Servia 

B.F.B.S. 

2  Carniola 

Carinthia,  Carniola 
Styria 

,  O.V. 

Bulgar 

... 

Bulgaria 

B.F.B.S. 

(5)     GRECO-LATIN   BRANCH. 

Greek 

I  Classical 

Greece,  Greek 
Church 

B.F.B.S. 

2  Romaic 

Greece 

B.F.B.S. 

Latin 

•  •  • 

Dead,  Liturgical 

O.V. 

Italian 

I  Standard 

Italy 

O.V. 

2  Piedmont 

Piedmont 

B.F.B.S. 

Spanish 

I  Standard 

Spain,  S.  America 

O.V. 

2  Catalan 

Catalonia,  Spain 

B.F.B.S. 

3  Judajo-Spanish 

For  Spanish  Jews 

B.F.B.S. 

4  Cura^oa-Negro 

L  of  CuraQoa,  W. 
Indies 

N.B.S. 

Portuguese 

I  Standard 

Portugal,  S.  America  O.V. 

.2  Indo-Portu- 

I.  of  Ceylon 

B.F.B.S. 

guese 

French 

1  Standard 

France,  Canada 

O.V. 

2  Vaudois 

Piedmont,  Italy 

B.F.B.S. 

3  Provencal 

Provence,  S.  France  B.F.B.S. 

4  IVIauritius- 

I.  of  Mauritius 

B.F.B.S. 

Creole 

(     117    ) 


Name  of 
Language. 

Romanian 
Romansch 


Name  of  Dialect. 

Standard 

Macedonian 

Upper 

Lower 
Oberland 


Region. 

Romania 

Macedonia,  Turkey 
Engadine,  Switzer- 
land 
do.  do. 

do.  do. 


Source  of 
Translation. 

B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 
O.V. 

C.B.S. 
C.B.S. 


B.  ISOLATED  LANGUAGES. 

Basque  i   French  France,  Pyrenees       B.F.B.S. 

2  Spanish  Spain, Prov.ofBiscay B.F.B.S. 

3  Guipuscoa  Spain,  Prov.  of  B.F.B.S. 

Guipuscoa 
Albanian         i   Gheg  N.  Albania  B.F.B.S. 

2  Tosk  S.       do.  B.F.B.S. 

Gitano  ...  For  Spanish  Gipsies  B.F.B.S. 


C.  URAL-ALTAIC   FAMILY  (2  Branches). 


(In 

Europe.) 

(I) 

FINN  BRANCH. 

INIagyar 

Hungary 

O.V. 

Finn 

Finland 

O.V. 

Lapp 

I 

Norse 

Norway 

(  No.B.S., 
(B.F.B.S. 

2 

Swedish 

Sweden 

B.F.B.S. 

3 

Russ 

Lapland 

O.V. 

Esthon 

I 

Dorpat 

N.  Livonia,  Russia  B.F.B.S. 

2 

Rfval 

Esthonia,          do. 

O.V. 

Livon  (Liv) 

W.  Courland    do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Karel 

Prov.  of  Tver    do. 

R.B.S. 

Sirjin  (Zir) 

Prov.  of  Vo- 
logda            do. 

R.B.S. 

Perm 

Prov.  of  Perm  do. 

R.B.S. 

Mordwin 

Prov.  of  Nijni- 
Novogorod  do. 

R.B.S. 

Cheremissi 

* 

R.  Volga          do. 

R.B.S. 

Wotyak 

Prov.  of  Wiakta, 
Orenberg,     do. 

R.B.S. 

(    lis    ) 


(2)  TURKI  BRANCH. 


Name  of 
Language, 

Name  of  Dialect. 

Region. 

Source  of 
Translation, 

Chuvash 

•  •■ 

Prov.  of.Nijni- 

R.B.S. 

Novogorod,  Russia 

Kazan 

... 

Prov.  of  Kazan, 

do.  B.F.B.S. 

Nogai 

I  Eastern 

Cis-Caucasia, 

do.  B.F.B.S. 

2  Western 

Forjews, Crimea 

do.  O.V. 

Kirghiz 

I  Kazak 

Astrakhan, 

do.  R.B.S. 

II. 

ASIA. 

A.   SEMITIC  FAMILY. 

Arabic 

I   Standard 

Arabia,  Syria, 

(B.F.B.S., 
i  A.B.S. 

N.  Africa 

2  ]\Ialtese 

INIalta 

(  B.F.B.S., 
S.P.C.K. 

Syriac 

I  Ancient 

Dead,  Liturgical 

O.V. 

2  IModern 

Urumiah,  Persia 

A.B.S. 

Hebrew 

New  Testament 

For  Jews 

B.F.B.S. 

B.  URAL-ALTAIC  FAMILY  (4  Branches). 

(In  Asia.) 
(I)  FINN  BRANCH   {continued). 


Ostyak 
Wogul 


Prov.  of  Tobolsk,      B.F.B.S. 

Tomsk,  Russia 
W.  Siberia,  do.          B.F.B.S. 


(2)     TURKI     BRANCH     {continued). 


Osmanli 

Asia  ]\Iinor,Turkey 

(  B.F.B.S., 
j  A.B.S. 

Kirghiz           2  Kara 

Siberia,  Turkestan, 
Russia 

,    B.F.B.S. 

Trans-Cauca- 

Trans-Caucasia, 

(  B.F.B.S., 

sian  (Azer- 

do. 

\  A.B.S. 

bijani) 

Trans-Cas- 

Trans-Caspia, do. 

B.F.B.S. 

pian  (Jaghatai) 

Khiva  (Uz- 

Khanate of  Khiva 

B.F.B.S. 

bek  Sart) 

(     119     ) 


Name  of 
Language. 

Monfirol 


(3)     MONGOL    BRANCH. 


Name  of  Dialect. 

Literary 
N.  (Buriat) 
S.  (Kalkhas) 


Region. 

Mongolia 
Russian  Mongolia 
Chinese  Monq-olia 


Source  of 
Translation. 

B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 


4  W.  (Kalmuk)      W.  Mongolia,  Russia  B.F.B.S. 


]\Ianchu 


(4)     TUNGUS     BRANCH. 

Manchuria,  China     B.F.B.S. 


Georgian 


C.    CAUCASUS     GROUP. 
Georofia,  Russia 


O.V. 


D.   ARIAN    FAMILY    (2    Branches). 

(In  Asia.) 

(I)     IRAN     BRANCH. 


Persian 

Standard 

Persia                         B.F.B.S, 

Armenian 

I  Ancient 

Dead,  Liturgical        O.V. 

2  W. 

Asia  Minor,  (  B.F.B.S, 
Turkey                 ( A.B.S. 

3  E.  (Ararat) 

Trans-Caucasia,  B.F.B.S. 
Russia 

Kurd 

••• 

Kurdistan,Turkey,  /  B.F.B.S. 
Persia                   \  A.B.S. 

Osset 

... 

Caucasus,  Russia       R.B.S. 

Pastu 

... 

Afghanistan,  India  (  B.F.B.S. 

Baluchi 


Baluchistan,  India 


B.M.S. 
B.F.B.S. 


(2) 

INDIC     BRANCH. 

Sanskrit 

Dead,  Liturgical 

India 

Hindi 

I  Standard 

N.  India 

2  Hindustani 

(Urdu) 

do. 

3  Dakhani 

S.  India 

4  Marwari 

C.  India 

5  Pahari 

Kumaon,  N, 

India 


B.T.S. 

B.F.B.S., 

B.M.S. 

B.F.B.S. 

B.F.B.S. 

B.F.B.S. 

A.B.S. 


(       120      ) 


Name  of 
Language. 

Name  of  Dialect. 

Region. 

Source  of 
Translation, 

Panjabi 

I  Standard 

N.  India 

B.F.B.S. 

2  Dogri 

Jamu  Hills,  Panjab  B.F.B.S. 

3  Chambali 

Kangra  Hills,  do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Multani 

... 

S.  Panjab 

B.F.B.S. 

Maghadi 

... 

Behar,  Bangal 

B.F.B.S. 

Bangali 

I  Standard 

Bangal 

B.T.S. 

2  INIahometan 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Asami 

... 

Assam 

B.T.S. 

Uriya 

... 

Orissa,  Bangal 

B.F.B.S. 

Marathi 

I  Standard 

W.  India 

(  A.B.S., 
(  B.F.B.S. 

2  K6nkani 

do. 

Gujarati 

I  Standard 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

2  Parsi 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Sinhali 

I.  of  Ceylon 

B.F.B.S. 

Kashmiri 

... 

Kashmir 

B.F.B.S. 

Sindhi 

I  Standard 

Sindh 

B.F.B.S. 

2  Katchi 

Katch,  W.  India 

B.F.B.S. 

Nepali 

... 

Nepal 

B.F.B.S. 

Pali 

... 

Dead,  Liturgical 

B.F.B.S. 

E.  NON-ARIAN  (4  Subdivisions). 

(i)  DRAVIDIAN  FAMILY. 


Tamil 

*  •  • 

S.  India 

(  B.F.B.S., 
(  D.B.S. 

Telugu 

«•• 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Karnata 

.*• 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

jNIalayalim 

•  •• 

do. 

(  B.F.B.S., 
(Ba.B.S. 

Tulu 

•  •• 

do. 

Ba.B.S. 

Badaga 

•  • . 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Gond 

I 

Standard 

C.  India 

B.F.B.S. 

2 

Koi 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Rajmahali 

... 

Rajmahal,  N. 

India  B.F.B.S. 

(Pahari, 

IMalto, 

Maler) 

(2)  KOLARIAN  GROUP. 

Sontal 

C.  India 

B.F.B.S. 

Mandari  (P 

Lol) 

... 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

(       121       ) 


(3)  TIBETO-BARMAN   GROUP. 

Name  of 
Language. 

Name  of  Dialect. 

Region. 

Source  of 
Translation, 

Lepcha 

•  •  • 

Sikhim,  N.  India 

B.T.S. 

Garo 

... 

Assam 

j  B.T.S., 
(  B.F.B.S. 

Tibet 

•  •• 

Tibet 

B.F.B.S. 

Manipur 

•  •  • 

Manipur,. N.  India 

,     B.F.B.S. 

Barma 

.  •• 

Barma 

A.B.M.S. 

Karen 

I  Bghai 

do. 

A.B.M.S. 

2  Sgau 

do. 

A.B.M.S. 

3  Pwo 

(4) 

do. 
KHASI. 

A.B.M.S. 

Khasi 

•  •« 

N.  India 

B.F.B.S. 

Siam 
Laos 

Shan 


F.  INDO-CHINA  (2  Subdivisions.) 

(i)  TAI  FAMILY. 


Siam 

B.F.B.S. 

do. 

(MS., 
( A.B.M.S, 

Shan  States 

B.B.T.S. 

Pegu  (Mon) 


(2)  MON-ANAM  FAMILY. 
Barma 


B.F.B.S. 


G.  MALAYSIA. 


Malay 

I  Standard 

I.  of  Sumatra 

(B.F.B.S., 

(N.B.S.S. 

2  Surabaya  (Low) 

Malacca 

B.F.B.S. 

Java 

•  •  • 

I.  of  Java 

(  N.B.S., 
(  B.F.B.S. 

Sunda 

... 

do. 

N.B.S. 

Bali 

... 

I.  of  Bali 

N.B.S. 

Nias 

•  •  • 

I.  of  Nias 

B.F.B.S. 

Batta 

I  Toba 

1.  of  Sumatra 

j  N.B.S., 
B.F.B.S. 

2  Mandailung 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Macassar 

... 

1.  of  Celebes 

N.B.S. 

Bugi 

... 

do. 

N.B.S. 

(       122       ) 


Name  of 
Language. 

Name  of  Dialect, 

Region. 

Source  of 
Translation. 

Alfuor 

•  •  • 

C.  India 

N.B.S. 

Dyak 

I  Standard 

I.  of  Borneo 

N.B.S. 

2  Sea 

do. 

S.P.C.K. 

Pangasina 

... 

I.  of  Luzon 
(Philippines) 

B.F.B.S. 

Sangir 

... 

L  of  Sangir 

B.F.B.S. 

Nicobar 

... 

L  of  Nicobar,  Bay 
of  Bangal 

MS. 

Bojingijida 

... 

Andaman  L,  do. 

Private 

Formosa 

... 

Lof  Formosa,China  C.P.M. 

H. 

CHINA. 

Literary 

... 

Book  language 

(B.F.B.S., 

B.M.S., 
(  A.B.S. 

Mandarin 

I  N. 

Official,  N.  Prov. 

(  B.F.B.S., 
(  A.B.S. 

2  S. 

do. 

j  B.F.B.S., 
1  A.B.S. 

Shanghai 

... 

Shanghai 

/  B.F.B.S., 
\  A.B.S. 

Ningpo 

... 

Ningpo 

B.F.B.S. 

Kinhwa 

... 

Chekiang 

B.F.B.S. 

Fuhchau 

... 

Fuh-kien 

B.F.B.S. 

Amoy 

... 

Amoy 

A.B.S. 

Chau-chau 

... 

Swatow,   Prov.  of 
Canton 

B.F.B.S. 

Canton 

•  •• 

Canton 

(  B.F.B.S., 
(  A.B.S. 

Hakka 

... 

Hongkong 

B.F.B.S. 

Hainan 

... 

I.  of  Hainan 

B.F.B.S. 

Japcin 


Korea 
Luchu 

Aino 
Aliout 
(Aleutian) 


1.     EXTREME     ORIENT. 
.:.  I.  of  Japan 


Kor^a 

I,  of  Luchu 


I.  of  Japan 
Aleutian  I. 


A.B.S., 

B.F.B.S., 

N.B.S.S. 

B.F.B.S. 

S.P.C.K., 

B.F.B.S. 

B.F.B.S. 

Moscow. 


(     123     ) 


III.    AFRICA. 


A. 

SEMITIC     FAMILY. 

Name  of           Name  of  Dialect. 
Language. 

Region. 

Source  of 
Translation, 

Ethiopic  (Giz) 

•  •  • 

Dead,  Liturgical 

o.v. 

Amhara 

.*• 

Abyssinia 

B.F.B.S. 

Tigre 

... 

Abyssinia 

B.F.B.S. 

B. 

HAMITIC     GROUP. 

Koptic 

... 

Egypt 

O.V. 

Kabail 

... 

Algeria 

B.F.B.S. 

Shilha              I  Riff 

Morocco 

B.F.B.S. 

Bilin  (Bogos) 

... 

Abyssinia 

B.F.B.S. 

Agau                 I  Falasha 

Abyssinia 

B.F.B.S. 

Galla                I  Shoa 

Galla-land 

B.F.B.S. 

2  Ittu 

Galla-land 

B.F.B.S. 

3  Bararetta 

Galla-land 

B.F.B.S. 

Nuba 
Fulah 


C.     NUBA-FULAH     GROUP. 


I  Fadidja 
I  Futa-Toro 


Nubia 
Senearambia 


B.F.B.S. 

MS.,C.M.S. 


D.     NEGRO   GROUP. 


Wolof 

Senegambia 

B.F.B.S. 

Mande 

Mandingo-land 

B.F.B.S. 

Susu 

R.  Pongas 

S.P.C.K. 

Temne 

Near  Sierra  Leone 

B.F.B.S. 

Bullom 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Mende 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Grebo 

Liberia 

A.B.S. 

Ashanti 

I  Akwapem 

Ashanti-land 

B.F.B.S. 

2  Fanti 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Akra  (Ga) 

. .  • 

R.  Volta 

B.F.B.S. 

Ewe 

I  Anlo 

Dahomi-land 

(  B.F.B.S., 
(  Br.B.S. 

2  Popo 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

(     124     ) 


Name  of 
Language, 
Yariba 
Ibo 
Igara 
Igbira 
Nupe 
Hausa 
Eiik 


Name  of  Dialect. 


Region. 

Yariba-land 
R.  Niger 

do. 

do. 
R.  Quarra 
N.  of  R.  Quarra 
Old  Kalabar  R. 


Source  of 
Translation. 

B.F.B.S. 

B.F.B.S. 

C.M.S. 

B.F.B.S. 

B.F.B.S. 

B.F.B.S. 

N.B.S.S. 


Dual  la 

Isubu 

Ediya 

Pongwe 

Benga 

Kele 

Kongo 

Nkundu 

Tek6 

Kimbundu 
Umbundu 

Herero 

Chuana 

Pedi 

Suto 

Siga  (Tonga) 

Xosa  (Kafir) 

Zulu 

Gwamba 

Yao 

Makua 

Nyanja 

Ngoni 

Tonga 
Kaguru 
Swahili 
Bondei 


E.     BANTU   FAMILY. 

Kamerun 

do. 
I.  of  Fernando  Po 

R.  Gabun 

do. 

do. 
R.  Kongo 

do. 

do. 

Prov.  of  Angola 
Bailundo 

Damara-land 

Be-Chuana-land 

Transvaal 

Ba-Suto-land 

Inhambane 

Kafir-land  ( 

Zulu-land 

Transvaal 
W.  of  Mozambik 
Makua-land 
L.  Nyassa 
do. 

do. 

U-Sagara 
E.  Equat.  Africa 
do. 


B.T.S. 
B.T.S. 
B.M.S., 

MS. 
A.B.S. 
A.B.S. 
A.B.S. 
B.M.S. 
A.B.M.S., 

MS. 
A.B.M.S., 

MS. 
B.F.B.S. 
A.B.F.M., 

MS. 
B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S; 
B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 
A.B.F.M. 
(  B.F.B.S., 
(B.B.S. 
<  A.B.S., 
(B.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 
U.M.  MS. 
N.B.S.S. 
F.C.S.M., 

MS. 
F.C.S.M. 
B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 


Name  of 
Language. 

Kamba 
Gogo 
Nyika 
Ganda 

Guhha 


Khoikhoi 


Malasrasi 


(      125     ) 

Name  of  Dialect.  Region. 

E.  Equat.  Africa. 
U-Gogo 
IMombasa 
...  U-Ganda,  L. 

Victoria 
U- Guhha,  L. 

Tanganyika 

F.     HOTTENTOT   GROUP. 

Nama  Namaqua-land 

G.     MALAYAN. 

I.  of  Madagascar 


Source  of 
Translation. 

MS. 
MS. 

B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 

L.M.S., 

MS. 


B.F.B.S. 


B.F.B.S. 


IV.    AMERICA. 

A.     NORTH     (3     Subdivisions). 

(i)     ARCTIC     COAST. 


Eskimo 

I  Greenland 

Extreme  N. 

D.B.S. 

2  Labrador 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

3  Hudson's  Bay 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Tukudh 

... 

Yukon,  Prov.  of 
Alaska 

B.F.B.S. 

(2)     PACIFIC     COAST. 

Shimshi 

•  •• 

Metlakatla 

C.M.S. 

Nishkah 

•  •  • 

Naas  R. 

C.M.S. 

Kwagull 

«•  • 

Vancouver  I. 

B.F.B.S. 

Hydah 

... 

Queen  Charlotte  I 

.   C.M.S. 

(3)     CENTRAL    PROVINCES. 

Tinne 

... 

Hudson's  Bay 

B.F.B.S. 

Slave 

■  «  • 

Mackenzie  R. 

B.F.B.S. 

Chipewan 

... 

Churchill,  Atha- 
baska 

B.F.B.S. 

Beaver 

•  *  • 

R.  Beaver 

(B.F.B.S., 
(  S.P.C.K. 

Cree 

I  Eastern 

Hudson's  Bay 

B.F.B.S. 

2  Western 

Rupert's  Land 

B.F.B.S. 

Blackfoot 

... 

Saskatchewan 

C.M.S  ,MS, 

(     126     ) 


Name  of 
Language. 

Name  of  Dia 

lect.                    Region. 

Source  of 
Translation, 

Ojibwa 

... 

W.  of  L.  Superior 

(  A.B.S., 

S.P.C.K., 
(  B.F.B.S. 

Mikmak 

I  Standard 

Nova  Scotia 

B.F.B.S., 
(A.B.S. 

2  Abenaqui 

do. 

Montreal 

Maliseet 

... 

New  Brunswick 

B.F.B.S. 

Delaware 

... 

Delaware 

A.B.S. 

Ney  Perces 

Idaho 

A.B.S. 

Iroquois 

... 

L.  Eric,  Ontario 

B.F.B.S. 

Mohawk 

... 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Seneka 

,,, 

.      do. 

A.B.S. 

Sioux  (Dak6t 

a) 

W.  of  Mississippi 

A.B.S. 

Choctau 

S.  States  of  U.S. 

A.B.S. 

Cheroki 

•  •• 

do. 

A.B.S. 

Musk6ki 

•  •• 

do. 

A.B.S. 

(Creek) 

B. 

SOUTH. 

Aztek 

IMexico 

B.F.B.S. 

Maya 

..  • 

Yukatan 

B.F.B.S. 

JMoskito 

*•• 

Moskito  Coast 

M.M.S. 

Karib 

•■  ■ 

Dutch  Guiana 

Edinburgh 

Akkaway 

... 

do. 

S.P.C.K. 

Arawak 

••• 

do. 

(  A.B.S., 
(S.P.C.K. 

Quichua 

... 

Peru 

.  B.F.B.S. 

Aimara 

••• 

Bolivia 

B.F.B.S. 

Guarani 

... 

Paraguay 

B.F.B.S. 

Yahrran 

•«• 

Tierra  del  Fuego 

B.F.B.S. 

V.    OCEANIA. 


A.     POLYNESIA. 


Tahiti 

Rarotonga 

Marquesas 

Hawaii 

Samoa 

Nine 

Tonga 

INIaori 


Society  I. 

B.F.B.S, 

Hervey's  1. 

B.F.B.S, 

Marquesas  I. 

A.B.S. 

Sandwich  I. 

A.B.S. 

Navigator's  1. 

B.F.B  S. 

Savage  I. 

B.F.B.S. 

Friendly  I. 

B.F.B.S. 

I.  of  New  Zealand 

B.F.B.S. 

(     127     ) 


B.  MELANESIA. 


Name  of           ^^^^  ^f  Di^igct.                   Region. 
Language. 

Source  of 
Translation. 

Fiji 
Rotuma 

Fiji  I. 
R6tuma  I. 

B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 

Mar6  (Neng6ne) 
Lifu 

Loyalty  I. 
do. 

B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 

Uvea 

...       '             do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Aneityum 

New  Hebrides 

B.F.B.S. 

Futuna 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Aniwa 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Tanna 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Erromanga 
Fat6 

do. 
do. 

B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 

Nguna 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

Mai 

do. 

M.M. 

Api  (Baki) 
Mota 

do. 
Bank's  I. 

B.F.B.S. 
S.P.C.K. 

Arag 

Pentecost  I., 

MS.,  M.M, 

Oba 
Maewo 

(Whitsuntide) 
Leper  I. 
...   -            Aurora  I. 

MS.,  M.M 
MS.,  M.M 

Espirito  Santo 

New  Hebrides 

F.C.S.M. 

Wano 

San  Christoval  I. 

MS.,  M.M 

Florida 

Solomon  I. 

S.P.C.K. 

Isabel 

do. 

S.P.C.K. 

Murray  I. 
Saibai 

Torres  Straits 
do. 

B.F.B.S. 
B.F.B.S. 

S.  Cape 

British  New  Guinea 

,  B.F.B.S. 

Motu 

do. 

B.F.B.S. 

INIafor 

Dutch  New  Guinea 

N.B.S. 

New  Britain 

Bismark 

B.F.B.S. 

Duke  of  York's  I. 

■  Archipelago 
do. 

C.  MIKRONESIA. 

W.M.S. 

Gilbert  I. 

Gilbert  I. 

A.B.S. 

Mortlock  I. 

Mortlock  I. 

A.B.S. 

Ebon 

Marshall  I. 

A.B.S. 

Kusaie 

Marshall  I. 

A.B.S. 

Ponape 

Caroline  I. 
D.  AUSTRALIA. 

A.B.S. 

Narrinyeri 

South  Australia 

B.F.B.S. 

HERTFORD : 

PRINTED    BY   STEPHEN   AUSTIN    AND   SONS. 


^ote0  on  Missiomx^  Subjects. 


part  M, 

ESSAYS    ON    THE    GREAT    PROBLEMS    OUTSIDE 

THE  ORBIT  OF  PURE  EVANGELISTIC  WORK, 

BUT    WHICH    THE    MISSIONARY 

HAS    TO    FACE. 


I.  POLYGAMY    AND    POLYANDRY. II.    SLAVERY. III.    ISLAM. IV.    CASTE. 

V.      CULTIVATION      OF      THE      POPPY     AND     MANUFACTURE     OF 

OPIUM     IN      BRITISH      INDIA. VI.      LIQUOR     TRAFFIC     IN     BRITISH 

INDIA. VII.    EDUCATION. 


ROBERT   NEEDHAM   CUST,   LL.D., 

L.\TE    MEMBER    OF    H.M.    INDIAN    CIVIL    SERVICE,    MEMBER    OF    COMMITTEES    OF    BRITISH    AND 

FOREIGN  BIBLE  SOCIETY  AND  CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY,   MEMBER  OF    TRANSLATION 

COMMITTEE      OF      SOCIETY      FOR      PROMOTING      CHRISTIAN      KNOWLEDGE, 

INCORPORATED    MEMBER     OF     SOCIETY     FOR     THE     PROPAGATION 

OF  THE   GOSPEL,    AND   HONORARY    SECRETARY    OF    THE 

ROYAL   ASIATIC   SOCIETY. 


LONDON : 

ELLIOT   STOCK,    62,   PATERNOSTER   ROW. 


A/i  Rights  Reserved. 


HERTFORD : 

PRINTED    BY   STEPHEN    AUSTIN    AND    SONS. 


TO  ALL    THE  DEAR 

CHRISTLAN  FRIENDS,    WHO  ATTENDED 

THE   INTERNATIONAL   MISSIONARY  CONFERENCE 

IN  EXETER  HALL,    JUNE,    i885, 

Wo)i%z  Pages 

ARE  DEDICATED 

BY  ONE,    WHO  HAS  STUDIED    THESE    GREAT  SUBJECTS 

FOR  A   LONG  PERIOD    OF   YEARS, 

FROM  MANY  POINTS   OF   VIEW,    IN  MANY 

DIFFERENT  COUNTRIES  AND  LANGUAGES,    AND 

SUBMITS    HIS  OPINIONS 

WITH  ALL  THE  HUMILITY  OF  ONE,    WHO 

ONLY  LIVES  TO  LEARN. 


PREFACE   TO   PART   II. 


In  putting  forth  these  Essays,  I  feel  the  responsibihty  : 
the  Christian  Statesman  and  Administrator  of  a  non- 
Christian  country  takes  a  wider,  and  more  sympathetic, 
view  of  human  affairs,  than  the  Missionary.  He  fears 
God  none  the  less,  because  he  respects  the  rights  and 
feelings  of  a  non-Christian  population  more.  He  is  more 
tolerant  of  bad  customs,  and  moral  weaknesses,  but  quite 
as  severe  upon  crimes.  He  does  not  like  to  hear  the 
population  of  British  India  or  China  described  as  the 
Kingdom  of  Satan  :  of  course  it  means  nothing,  and  such 
phrases  are  only  the  conventional  tags  of  a  Missionary 
periodical,  required  to  suit  the  taste  of  a  particular  class  of 
not  very  highly  educated  readers  and  subscribers  at  home. 
It  is  wrong,  however,  to  use  such  phrases,  because  Christ 
looked  down  from  the  Cross  upon  the  poor  Heathen,  and 
died  for  them  also,  though  for  eighteen  hundred  long 
years  no  Prophet  or  Evangelist  has  ever  come  to  tell 
them  of  His  exceeding  precious  Promises.     That  was  not 


(      X      ) 

their  fault,  but  ours.       We  had   the  Gospel,  but  failed  in 
our  duty  to  convey  it  to  the  Regions  Beyond. 

The  lessons  taught  me  by  my  Master,  John  Lawrence, 
that  Christian  men  should  do  Christian  things  in  a  Christian 
way,  has  been  confirmed  by  a  careful  survey  of  the  state  of 
all  the  Races  in  Asia,  Africa,  and  Oceania,  as  portrayed 
in  the  Reports  of  Missionaries,  Travellers,  and  Officials.  I 
cannot  fail  to  mark  the  extreme  goodness  of  the  human 
race,  when  there  is  a  chance  given  for  that  goodness  to 
develope  itself,  and  I  recognize  as  incontestable,  that  the 
heart  of  man  turns  to  God,  as  the  sunflower  turns  to  the 
Sun,  if  but  one  ray  of  His  ineffable  light  reach  it.  I  com- 
pare the  proclivities,  the  frightful  crimes,  the  filthy  sins, 
of  the  inhabitants  of  one  country  with  another,  when  left 
outside  the  Gospel-influences.  My  heart  sinks  within  me, 
when  I  read  of  human  flesh  sold  in  the  shambles  in  towns 
within  the  circuit  of  the  Missionary :  of  a  man  poisoning 
his  own  mother  on  suspicion  of  witchcraft ;  of  a  chief  with 
his  harem  filled  with  his  own  daughters ;  and  the  opium- 
pipe,  of  which  so  much  is  said,  seems  as  nothing  in  the 
scale  of  Morality,  when  contrasted  with  such  things. 

Civilization  brings  with  it  a  number  of  concomitant  evils. 
The  individual  character  of  the  Non-Christian  must  be 
fortified  to  resist  them :  it  is  the  legitimate  work  of  the 
Missionary  to  work  a  change  in  Man's  heart,  and  he 
loses  the  proper  conception  of  his  office,  when  he  brings 
railing  accusations  against  Governments,  and  speaks  evil 
of  dignities.  Such  a  line  of  policy  only  injures  a  good 
cause,  alienates  friends,  and  makes  the  enemy  to  scoff 
at  his  ridiculous  unwisdom,  and  unreasonable  arguments. 
St.    Paul    must   have  had   much  to   vex   his   soul,   but   he 


(     xi     ) 

knew  nothing  but  Christ  and  Him  crucified,  and  asked 
for  no  human  assistance.  He  took  it  to  the  Lord 
in  prayer. 

With  my  conclusions  about  Polygamy  and  Slavery,  there 
is  room  for  a  difference  of  opinion  :  they  are  the  result  of 
long,  wide,  and  deep  reflection.  With-  my  third  Essay 
upon  Islam  all,  who  have  personal  knowledge  of  Maho- 
metans, will  agree.  On  the  subject  of  Caste,  and  the 
Cultivation  of  the  Poppy,  I  can  hope  for  little  sympathy 
with  the  present  generation  of  Missionaries.  A  radical 
misconception  with  regard  to  the  latter  has  obtained  a 
deep  root,  based  upon  the  exaggerated  platform-abuse, 
and  an  imperfect  comprehension  of  a  very  difficult 
problem.  I  think  that  the  next  generation  will  judge 
more  calmly.  At  any  rate,  there  is  not  the  remotest 
chance  of  the  Government  of  India  making  any  change 
in  its  policy.  As  to  Caste,  the  Missionary,  if  he  is 
opposed  to  it,  should  set  the  example  of  allowing  his 
daughter  to  marry  the  Native  Pastor,  and  admitting  all 
classes  of  Natives  to  his  table.  Until  he  does  this,  the 
Caste  of  the  White  Man  will  remain  but  an  additional 
item  in  the  long  Catalogue  of  Indian  Castes.  As  regards 
the  Liquor-Traffic,  I  am  at  one  with  the  Missionaries  in 
recognizing  the  evil,  but  differing  no  doubt  in  the  method 
of  counteracting  it.  I  seek  what  is  possible :  those,  who 
have  never  had  the  conduct  of  human  affairs,  dream  of 
what  Statesmen  know  to  be  impossible.  Many  will  no 
doubt  agree  with  my  remarks  about  Education,  and  those, 
who  do  not,  will  perhaps  better  understand  the  problems 
after  they  have  reflected  upon  them.  The  occupation  of 
British  India  by  Russia,  and  the  expulsion  of  the   British, 


(     xii     ) 

would  teach  the  Missionary  certain  hard  lessons,  upon 
which  they  will  do  well  to  make  timely  reflection.  King 
Log  may  have  his  faults,  but  what  of  King  Stork  ?  Some 
of  the  younger  members  of  our  Societies  may  live  to  see 
every  Missionary  turned  out  of  China,  and  India,  no  longer 
British.    Loud  will  then  be  their  complaints  of  Intolerance. 

O  fortunati,  sua  si  bona  norint ! 

I  read  with  astonishment  the  following  words,  uttered 
on  June  20,  1888,  in  Exeter  Hall,  by  an  ordained 
American  Missionary,  and  applauded  by  an  assembly 
of  British  and  American  Missionaries :  "  For  what  has 
"  been  done  in  India,  the  British  deserved,  far  more  thafi 
"  the  Tttrks  for  their  atrocities  in  Bulgaria,  to  be  turned 
"  out  bag  and  baggage."  The  Resolution,  thus  supported, 
was  put  to  the  Meeting  by  the  Chairman,  a  highly-paid 
official  of  the  British  State,  and  Cousin,  bearing  the  same 
name,  of  the  Viceroy  of  India,  under  whose  orders  the 
alleged  atrocities  were  committed.  After  this,  we  can 
scarcely  wonder  at  the  policy  of  Austria,  Russia,  and 
France,  as  regards  Protestant  Missionaries,  of  total  ex- 
clusion !  I  deplore  it,  but  cease  to  be  surprised.  Germany 
will  soon  follow  the  example. 

July  i,  1888. 


POLYGAMY  IN   CHRISTIAN   CHURCHES. 

A  LETTER  was  read  from  the  Bishop  of  Zululand  in  the  Upper 
House  of  Convocation  during  the  summer  of  1886,  requesting 
guidance  on  the  question  of  baptizing  persons  living  in  Polygamy. 
It  was  determined  that  communications  should  be  made  to  those 
Churches  of  the  Anglican  Communion,  in  which  questions 
relating  to  Polygamy  had  been  found  of  pressing  importance, 
and  that  the  ancient  ecclesiastical  law  relating  to  the  subject 
should  be  ascertained.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  S.P.  G., 
the  Primate  again  alluded  to  the  subject,  and  notified,  that  it 
would  be  discussed  in  the  Pan-Anglican  Synod,  which  would 
D.V.  meet  in  1888  at  Lambeth. 

It  may  be  deemed  not  inexpedient  to  recall  what  has  been 
written  on  the  subject,  and  to  consider  it  as  God-fearing  men, 
and  yet  not  afraid  to  look  firmly  in  the  face  the  facts  recorded 
in  past  history,  and  the  circumstances  of  the  days  in  which  we 
live.  We  should  show  that  we  are  neither  slaves  to  precedents, 
nor  desirous  of  needless  change,  nor  contemptuous  of  Holy  Writ, 
wisely  and  widely  interpreted. 

In  the  Table  of  Literature  on  the  subject,  which  I  place  at 
the  close  of  this  paper,  ancient  memories  will  be  awakened,  and 
the  opinions  of  men  now  at  rest  will  be  cited.  There  is  still 
room  for  discussion,  when  we  find  that  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago  Archbishop  Whately,  Bishop  Colenso,  Bishop  Cotton,  Bishop 
Milman  were  on  one  side,  and  Bishop  Cotterell,  Bishop  Daniel 
Wilson,  and  Mr.  Henry  Venn  were  on  the  other.  Different 
missionaries  have  acted,  and  made  utterances  in  different 
manners.  Such  of  the  laity,  as  have  spoken,  have  as  a  rule 
upheld  the  sanctity  of  contracts  made  bond  fide,  the  contract  of 
the  union  of  the  sexes,  which  is  the  most  sacred,  if  not  always 
the  most  holy,  of  contracts,  and  repudiated  the  idea  of  a 
Polygamist  purchasing  admission  into  the  Church  of  Christ  at 
the  expense  of  the  comfort,  the  rights,  the  respectability,  and 
possibly  the  morals,  of  his  wives.  We  read  in  the  "  Report  of 
the  Fifth  Annual  IMeeting  of  the  Panjab  Church  Council " 
(p.  59),  that  both  Bishop  Milman  and  Robinson,  of  Calcutta, 


(     xii     ) 

would  teach  the  Missionary  certain  hard  lessons,  upon 
which  they  will  do  well  to  make  timely  reflection.  King 
Log  may  have  his  faults,  but  what  of  King  Stork  ?  Some 
of  the  younger  members  of  our  Societies  may  live  to  see 
every  Missionary  turned  out  of  China,  and  India,  no  longer 
British,    Loud  will  then  be  their  complaints  of  Intolerance. 

O  fortunati,  sua  si  bona  norint ! 

I  read  with  astonishment  the  following  words,  uttered 
on  June  20,  1888,  in  Exeter  Hall,  by  an  ordained 
American  Missionary,  and  applauded  by  an  assembly 
of  British  and  American  Missionaries :  "  For  what  has 
"  been  done  in  India,  the  British  deserved,  far  more  than 
"  the  Turks  for  their  atrocities  in  Bulgaria,  to  be  turned 
"  out  bag  and  baggage."  The  Resolution,  thus  supported, 
was  put  to  the  Meeting  by  the  Chairman,  a  highly-paid 
official  of  the  British  State,  and  Cousin,  bearing  the  same 
name,  of  the  Viceroy  of  India,  under  whose  orders  the 
alleged  atrocities  were  committed.  After  this,  we  can 
scarcely  wonder  at  the  policy  of  Austria,  Russia,  and 
France,  as  regards  Protestant  Missionaries,  of  total  ex- 
clusion !  I  deplore  it,  but  cease  to  be  surprised.  Germany 
will  soon  follow  the  example. 

July  i,  1888. 


POLYGAMY   IN   CHRISTIAN   CHURCHES. 

A  LETTER  was  read  from  the  Bishop  of  Zululand  in  the  Upper 
House  of  Convocation  during  the  summer  of  1886,  requesting 
guidance  on  the  question  of  baptizing  persons  living  in  Polygamy. 
It  was  determined  that  communications  should  be  made  to  those 
Churches  of  the  Anglican  Communion,  in  which  questions 
relating  to  Polygamy  had  been  found  of  pressing  importance, 
and  that  the  ancient  ecclesiastical  law  relating  to  the  subject 
should  be  ascertained.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  S.P.  G., 
the  Primate  again  alluded  to  the  subject,  and  notified,  that  it 
would  be  discussed  in  the  Pan-Anglican  Synod,  which  would 
D.V.  meet  in  1888  at  Lambeth. 

It  may  be  deemed  not  inexpedient  to  recall  what  has  been 
written  on  the  subject,  and  to  consider  it  as  God-fearing  men, 
and  yet  not  afraid  to  look  firmly  in  the  face  the  facts  recorded 
in  past  history,  and  the  circumstances  of  the  days  in  which  we 
live.  We  should  show  that  we  are  neither  slaves  to  precedents, 
nor  desirous  of  needless  change,  nor  contemptuous  of  Holy  Writ, 
wisely  and  widely  interpreted. 

In  the  Table  of  Literature  on  the  subject,  which  I  place  at 
the  close  of  this  paper,  ancient  memories  will  be  awakened,  and 
the  opinions  of  men  now  at  rest  will  be  cited.  There  is  still 
room  for  discussion,  when  we  find  that  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago  Archbishop  Whately,  Bishop  Colenso,  Bishop  Cotton,  Bishop 
Milman  were  on  one  side,  and  Bishop  Cotterell,  Bishop  Daniel 
Wilson,  and  Mr.  Henry  Venn  were  on  the  other.  I)iff'erent 
missionaries  have  acted,  and  made  utterances  in  different 
manners.  Such  of  the  laity,  as  have  spoken,  have  as  a  rule 
upheld  the  sanctity  of  contracts  made  bonA  fide,  the  contract  of 
the  union  of  the  sexes,  which  is  the  most  sacred,  if  not  always 
the  most  holy,  of  contracts,  and  repudiated  the  idea  of  a 
Polygamist  purchasing  admission  into  the  Church  of  Christ  at 
the  expense  of  the  comfort,  the  rights,  the  respectability,  and 
possibly  the  morals,  of  his  wives.  We  read  in  the  "  Report  of 
the  Fifth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Panjab  Church  Council " 
(p.  59),  that  both  Bishop  Milman  and  Robinson,  of  Calcutta, 


'  (      2      ) 

sanctioned  the  baptism  of  Polygamists :  we  may  well  hold  our 
breath  here ;  and  we  read  how  in  South  Africa  Polygamists 
were  allowed  to  select  one  wife  and  enter  the  Church,  and  that 
the  others  were  sometimes  allowed  to  live  not  far  from  him, 
sometimes  allowed  to  depart,  sometimes  married  off  to  others  : 
we  may  well  feel  a  feeling  of  shame  here,  for  these  poor  women 
had  souls  to  be  saved  also. 

What  is  Polygamy  ?  Its  real  meaning  is  the  status  of  a  man, 
who  has  a  plurality  of  wives,  and  of  a  woman,  who  has  a  plurality 
of  husbands.  The  legal  test  of  the  word  "  husband  "  and  "  wife  " 
is,  that  the  civil  law  recognises  the  status  and  the  rights  flowing 
therefrom,  and  that  the  children  are  legitimate.  We  have  both 
Polygyny  and  Polyandry  in  India,  thoroughly  recognised  in  the 
courts  of  law.  Be  it  remembered,  that  we  guaranteed  to  the 
people  of  India  toleration  of  their  religion,  and  their  own  laws, 
as  regards  marriage  and  inheritance,  and  no  wise  ruler  would 
venture  to  meddle  with  them.  And  here  I  at  once  lay  down 
another  principle :  whatever  theologians  or  short-sighted  mis- 
sionaries may  say.  Polygamy  is  not  a  crime.  The  rulers  of  India 
put  down  with  a  high  hand  atrocious  crime.  When  we  annexed 
the  Panjab  in  1846, 1  was  with  Lord  Lawrence,  and  we  summoned 
the  landowners,  and  told  them,  that  they  must  not  burn  their 
widows,  or  kill  their  daughters,  or  bury  alive  their  lepers.  We 
knew  very  well,  that  the  greater  part  were  idolaters,  and  all  of 
them  possible  Polygynists,  and  some  Polyandrists ;  but  that 
was  no  affair  of  ours.  Polygyny  and  Polvandry  may  be  highly 
objectionable,  but  their  position  ranges  with  profligacy,  intoxica- 
tion, gambling,  and  other  habits  condemned  by  the  moralist, 
yet  extensively  practised  in  Christian  countries. 

According  to  Sir  W.  Hunter,  Polyandry  is  found  in  the  Hima- 
layan valleys  and  in  Travancore,  at  each  end  of  India;  one 
woman  has  several  husbands,  generally  brothers.  In  the  great 
heroic  poem,  the  "  Mahabharata,"  the  heroine,  Draupadi,  marries 
five  brothers  and  lives  happily.  So  entirely  is  Polyandry  a  feature 
of  the  custom  of  some  tribes  in  Central  India,  that  General 
Dalton  mentions,  that,  at  the  request  of  a  father,  he  directed 
search  to  be  made  for  a  runaway  daughter,  who  was  brought 
in  by  the  police  with  her  huo  lovers,  with  whom  she  had 
eloped.  In  the  Panjab,  among  the  Jat  families,  too  poor  to 
bear  the  expense  of  the  marriage  of  all  the  males,  the  wife  of 
the  eldest  son  has  to  accept  his  brothers  as  joint  husbands. 
One  tribe  is  mentioned  by  the  Mahometan  writers  in  1008  a.d. 
as  practising  Polyandry.  In  South  India  the  custom  has  a 
different  and  more  primitive  development,  for  the  sister's  son 
always  succeeds  to  a  man's  property ;  and  according  to  Sir  W. 
Hunter,  the  women  of  certain  tribes  live  promiscuously  without 
the  form  of  marriage.     The  successor  to  the  throne  is  restricted 


(     3     ) 

to  the  issue  of  a  certain  number  of  princesses,  who  are  kept  like 
queen-bees.  Polygyny  is  lawful  throughout  India,  both  to  Hindu 
and  Mahometan,  but  the  practice  is  quite  the  exception,  as  it  is 
expensive.  Moreover,  India  is  under  a  rule  of  law,  and  has 
been  so  for  centuries.  A  marriage  is  only  lawful  with  certain 
persons,  and  must  be  ratified  in  a  certain  way  and  at  a  con- 
siderable expense.  This  causes  a  great  restriction  of  the  privilege, 
and,  as  a  fact,  none  but  the  rich  avail  themselves  of  it.  Very 
good  feeling  is  often  shown.  A  rich  banker  came  to  see  me, 
and  told  me  of  his  sorrow,  that  he  had  no  son  to  perform  the 
funeral  rites  over  him.  I  suggested  to  him  a  second  wife,  but 
he  would  not  hear  of  anything,  which  would  vex  his  wife.  On 
one  occasion  I  heard  in  my  office,  that  my  head  man  of  business 
had  had  two  babies  born  at  the  same  time  from  different  mothers  ; 
when  alone,  I  asked  him  about  it,  as  it  appeared  to  me  to  be 
disreputable,  and  he  said,  that  it  was  not  his  fault,  that  his 
parents  had  married  him  to  his  two  wives  ;  that  they  were  both 
good  women,  and  he  had  no  power  to  cast  either  off.  I  remember 
a  young  Rajput  noble  marrying  the  two  daughters  of  a  Rajpiit 
neighbour,  who  added  a  niece  as  vv^ell  to  the  bargain.  The 
Maharaja  Dulip  Singh,  so  well  known  in  England,  is  the  issue 
of  a  polygamous  father,  who  left  a  great  many  widows.  Shir 
AH,  the  unfortunate  ruler  of  Afghanistan  in  the  last  war,  was  the 
issue  of  a  polygamous  connection.  I  remember  the  Maharaja 
of  Pateala,  a  Polygamist,  in  his  desire  to  have  a  son,  ordering  a 
wife  to  be  looked  for  of  his  own  caste,  who  belonged  to  a  family, 
where  the  women  always  had  large  families,  and  his  plan  suc- 
ceeded. Nothing  is  more  mistaken  than  to  suppose  that  sen- 
suality, in  India  at  least,  has  anything  to  do  with  the  matter. 
We  read  how  the  high-priest  Jehoiada  gave  King  Joash  two 
wives,  when  he  was  quite  a  child.  As  a  rule,  the  bridegroom 
has  never  seen  the  bride  before  the  marriage.  The  marriage 
vow  is  preserved  faithfully  by  the  woman  at  least,  and  by  a  very 
great  majority  of  the  men.  We  quite  know  that  Monogamy 
does  not  put  a  stop  to  gross  sensuality.  My  object  is  to  show, 
that  it  is  raising  a  false  issue  to  exaggerate  the  foulness  of 
Polygamy.  It  exists,  respected  by  the  law ;  but,  if  left  alone, 
will  gradually  die  out  under  the  influence  of  enlightenment, 
education,  and  general  softening  of  manners. 

Leaving  India,  let  us  consider  Polygamy  in  South  Africa. 
Sir  Theophilus  Shepstone,  Hon.  Secretary  for  Native  Affairs 
in  Natal,  on  March  26th,  1861,  expressed  the  following  opinions 
at  Pietermaritzburg : 

I.  Native  law  recognizes  every  woman  as  a  wife,  whose 
position  as  such  has  been  consented  to  by  the  two  families 
concerned,  and  when  such  consent  has  been  ratified  or  carried 
out  by  a  formal  marriage  ceremony. 


(     4     ) 

II.  For  a  marriage  to  be  valid,  there  must  be  a  consideration 
on  both  sides,  the  two  families  being  the  contracting  parties, 
and  this  must  be  measured  by  the  rank  and  condition  of  these 
families. 

III.  The  suitor  must  make  over  cattle  to  the  amount  settled, 
and  the  girl  on  her  marriage  must  be  accompanied  by  cattle  and 
ornaments,  as  may  be  due  to  her  rank.  In  some  cases  she 
brings  nearly  as  much  as  her  husband  has  paid. 

IV.  The  marriage  ceremonies  differ  with  different  tribes ; 
but  the  essence  of  it  is  friendship  betwixt  the  families,  promise 
to  protect  and  cherish  wife,  on  part  of  husband  ;  promise  of 
obedience  and  good  behaviour  on  part  of  wife ;  and  a  further 
recognition  of  the  new  relations  with  each  other,  which  can 
always  be  pleaded  in  any  subsequent  dispute. 

V.  The  cattle  are  taken  beforehand  to  the  girl's  family,  but 
the  girl  can  refuse  them,  and  does  often  refuse  them,  and  send 
them  back  ;  and  the  meaning  of  this  is  known. 

VI.  Her  friends  may  press  and  threaten  her ;  but  a  girl,  if 
determined,  is  sure  of  victory.  In  case  of  personal  violence 
the  British  magistrate  would  interfere  and  protect  her,  and 
maintain  her  right  of  free  choice,  and  punish  violence. 

VII.  In  every  stage  of  the  proceedings  before  and  after 
marriage  will  be  found  the  exact  counterparts  and  analogies  of 
the  higher  form  of  marriage  elsewhere,  but  in  their  native  form 
peculiar  to  the  state  of  culture. 

VIII.  The  wife  is  not  a  slave,  or  sold  as  such.  The  parent 
of  the  girl  never  loses  his  right  to  protect  his  child.  The  cattle 
given  at  the  marriage  is  a  guarantee  for  their  good  treatment. 

IX.  She  has,  of  course,  to  work,  and  help  to  maintain  her 
family.  If  idle,  she  is  punished.  But  public  opinion  has  the 
same  effect  among  women  here  as  elsewhere. 

X.  A  widow  may  continue  with  her  children,  or  leave  them 
and  marry  again.  The  husband's  heirs  may  claim  something, 
but  they  cannot  control  her  free  action. 

XL  If  she  runs  away  from  her  husband,  and  her  friends 
refuse  to  give  her  up,  the  matter  comes  before  the  magistrate, 
who  settles  it  as  best  he  can. 

XII.  When  separation  takes  place  before  children  are  born, 
it  often  happens  that  all  property  is  mutually  restored.  Such 
cases  often  come  before  the  magistrate,  who,  if  cruelty  and 
oppression  of  the  woman  be  proved,  would  not  order  the  cattle 
to  be  given  back  to  the  husband. 

Sir  Theophilus  admits  the  evil  of  Polygamy,  but  gross 
exaggeration  of  that  evil  will  not  help  the  matter.  There  are 
many  evils  also  in  monogamic  marriages.  He  states  distinctly, 
that  in  any  case  of  oppression  by  father  of  his  daughter,  or 
husband  of  his  wife,  the  magistrate  will  interfere. 


C    5    ) 

■  He  considers,  that  it  is  wrong  to  teach  a  heathen,  as  a  duty 
enjoined  by  Christ's  religion,  that  he  must  injure  others  to  benefit 
himself,  that  he  must  commit  an  unlawful  act,  involving  op- 
pression and  injustice,  and  a  reckless  sacrifice  of  the  interests 
of  others,  to  further  his  own.  These  women  are  wives 
according  to  their  law,  or  custom  having  force  of  law ;  and 
their  cottsciences,  and  their  self-respect,  should  not  be  destroyed 
by  inducing  them  to  believe,  that  they  are  something  less,  in 
fact,  dishonoured  prostitutes ;  their  children  should  not  be 
bastardized,  who  by  the  law  are  legitirnate,  and  have  rights 
as  such.  These  women  are  admitted  to  be  faithful  wives, 
because  they  consider  themselves  wives.  Why  subvert  this 
notion  and,  in  fact,  encourage  licentiousness  ?  A  wife  at 
present  has  within  her  reach  full  means  of  protection,  because 
she  has  the  legal  rights  of  a  wife  to  plead.  If  deprived  of  these, 
her  moral  sense  and  her  legal  rights  disappear.  It  may  be 
expedient  to  legislate  so  as  to  discourage  and  extinguish 
Polygamy  eventually,  but  any  other  course  is  neither  politic 
nor  just. 

In  India  the  wives  are  all  equal ;  but  we  gather  from  Sir 
T.  Shepstone,  that  one  Zulu  wife  ranks  above  another.  But  it 
rarely  happens,  that  the  first  wife,  according  to  date,  enjoys 
the  highest  rank;  nor  does  the  issue  of  the  first  wife  succeed 
as  of  right  to  a  chieftainship :  this  point  is  of  importance,  as 
will  appear  below.  In  South  Africa  no  system  of  concubinage 
is  recognized,  nor  in  India :  this  fact  must  also  be  borne  in 
mind.  In  South  Africa,  as  in  India  among  Hindus,  a  man 
cannot  marry  any  female,  with  whom  he  is  in  the  remotest 
degree  connected  in  blood.  In  South  Africa  the  suitor  has  seen 
the  girl,  who  is  apparently  an  adult,  and  has  a  veto  on  the 
arrangement ;  in  India  the  bride  is  generally  a  child,  and  has 
no  voice  in  the  matter.  In  India,  with  the  Hindu  female, 
divorce  or  re-marriage  as  a  widow  is  impossible.  With  the 
Mahometan  there  is  no  difficulty,  as  the  woman  can  even 
divorce  her  husband,  and  can,  as  a  widow,  re-marry.  Change 
of  religion  from  the  Hindu  and  Mahometan  point  of  view 
dissolves  the  contract  of  marriage  ;  but  a  Christian  does  not 
obtain  his  liberty  to  re-marry  in  that  way. 

But  there  is  a  third  class  of  circumstances,  which  presents 
itself.  In  British  India  the  "  law  of  the  person  "  is  enforced  by 
British  Courts.  In  the  colonies  of  Natal  and  the  Cape,  law, 
to  a  certain  extent,  prevails,  but  of  a  rougher  character ;  but  on 
the  West  Coast  of  Africa  there  exists  no  law,  or  custom  having 
the  force  of  law,  and  there  is  no  Executive  to  enforce  it,  if  it 
did  exist.  Polygamy  is  made  more  odious  by  the  existence  of 
slavery  and  the  slave-trade  ;  and  it  is  obvious,  that  sensuality 
is  the  motive  here,  and  that,  in  fact,  marriage  scarcely  exists. 


(     6     ) 

The  connection  of  the  Arab,  and  the  negro  chief,  with  the 
women  of  his  harem  is  simply  that  of  wholesale  concubinage. 
If  the  phenomena  presented  are  more  distressing,  they  are 
simpler.  The  male  convert  in  such  cases  can  be  dealt  with 
very  summarily,  as  a  reformed  profligate ;  the  poor  women  have 
no  conjugal  duties  to  render,  but  have  to  be  rescued,  as  best 
may  be,  from  a  life  of  infamy. 

Beyond  India  and  Africa  there  are  other  regions,  where 
Polygamy  prevails,  but  it  is  in  these  two  countries,  that  the 
opposing  forces  of  Polygamy  and  Christianity  come  into 
collision. 

The  environment  of  the  chosen  people  at  Hebron  and 
Shechem,  in  Egypt,  and  in  Canaan,  was  so  totally  different,  that 
it  is  difficult  to  imagine  anything  more  unreasonable,  than  to 
seek  for  analogies  there,  wherewith  to  solve  this  problem  of  the 
nineteenth  century  in  India  and  Africa.  If  Polygamy  prevailed 
in  the  Old  Testament  times,  it  was  obviously  of  a  totally 
different  character  from  the  secluded  Indian  zanana,  the  Zulu 
kraal,  and  the  Yariba  harem.  In  the  first  case  the  woman  does 
nothing,  absolutely  nothing ;  in  the  last  two  she  works  like  a 
day  labourer,  and  helps  to  support  herself,  her  children,  and 
her  husband,  or  master,  by  daily  toil.  The  wives  of  the  Hebrew 
Polygamist  appeared  in  public,  were  admitted  to  the  place  of 
worship,  were  treated  with  honour  and  deference  ;  and  in  the 
case  of  Hannah  and  Bathsheba,  an  eighth  wife,  their  issue  was 
the  recipient  of  the  highest  honour  from  the  Almighty.  There 
were  harlots  in  those  days,  and  there  were  concubines  ;  but 
these  were  ivives,  and  the  priests  did  not  think  them  unworthy 
of  their  notice.  They  had  even  a  higher  status  than  is  con- 
ceded by  law  to  the  wives  of  the  Indian  and  African  Poly- 
gamist;  and  in  some  cases,  though  not  all,  in  the- case  of  the 
mother  of  Solomon  certainly.  Polygamy  was  the  result  of 
sensuality,  and  yet  went  unpunished  under  a  system  of  govern- 
ment controlled  by  a  powerful  priesthood,  and  stimulated  and 
awed  by  inspired  prophets,  who  were  never  wearied  in  describ- 
ing the  sins  and  backslidings  of  the  nation  (Ezekiel  iii.  i8),  but 
never  spake  one  word  against  this  great  domestic  weakness. 
I  mention  these  facts  to  justify  the  British  Government  of  India 
and  South  Africa  in  the  policy  of  forbearance,  which  they  have 
adopted  towards  Polygamy,  as  in  past  years  they  did  to  Slavery, 
until  in  India  the  latter  died  out  of  itself,  and  this  will  be  the 
fate  of  Polygamy  also. 

Great  stress  should  be  laid  upon  a  consideration  of  the  state 
of  the  World,  as  described  by  Classic  Authors,  at  the  time  of  the 
appearance  of  our  Lord.  The  Greek  culture  had  dominated 
Western  Asia,  and  North  Africa,  and  was  perpetuated  by  their 
successors,  the  Romans.     Can  we  doubt  that  the  heroes  of  the 


(     7     ) 

Iliad  and  the  Odyssee,  Priam,  Hector,  Menelaus,  Ulysses, 
•  Agamemnon  were  Monogamists,  not  always  faithful  husbands,  but 
never  with  two  wives  lawfully  married  at  the  same  time  ?  The 
Gods,  and  Goddesses,  the  creatures  of  the  Greek  conception, 
were  Monogamists.  There  is  nothing  in  the  Iliad  or  Odyssee 
to  suggest  Polygamy :  to  the  reader  of  the  great  Hindu  Epics, 
the  Ramayana  and  Mahabharata,  Polygamy  is  the  one  feature, 
which  cannot  be  overlooked.  Palestine,  Syria  and  Egypt  had 
been  thoroughly  Hellenized  before  the  advent  of  our  Lord  (see 
Maccabees  ii.  4,  10),  and  the  four  bad  customs,  which  had  pre- 
vailed in  the  elder  world,  and  which  are  still  found  to  prevail 
in  Heathen  countries  in  a  low  culture,  had  disappeared.  How 
could  St.  Paul  have  written  verse  31  of  the  fifth  chapter  of  the 
Ephesians,  if  the  having  a  plurality  of  lawful  consorts  had  been 
a  possible  conception  for  the  Apostle's  mind  ?  He  knew  very 
clearly  what  a  harlot  was,  but  an  alternative  wife  did  not 
suggest  itself.  The  same  conviction  arises  from  a  perusal 
of  verse  2,  chapter  vii.  first  of  Corinthians,  that  St.  Paul,  a 
Greek  scholar,  a  Roman  citizen,  and  a  Hebre^v  Pharisee,  knew 
nothing  about  Polygamy  any  more  than  of  Anthropophagy,  and 
Human  Sacrifices. 

My  own  view  is  that  of  Michaelis  (Law  of  Moses  iii.  5),  that 
subsequent  to  the  Babylonish  Captivity,  Polygamy  did  not  exist. 
I  challenge  any  one  to  produce  an  instance  of  the  practice,  or 
a  pg,ssage  inferring  the  practice,  in  the  Apocrypha  or  any  Greek 
or  Roman  Author ;  the  only  instance  on  record  is  that  of  Herod 
the  Great,  mentioned  by  Josephus.  The  unlimited  power  of 
divorce,  and  no  doubt  profligacy,  had  taken  its  place.  The 
world  had  advanced.  Successive  Polygamy  had  taken  the  place 
of  concurrent  Polygamy  in  the  Western  world.  In  Greece  and 
Rome  Polygamy  was  unknown.  We  only  read  of  one  wife  of 
Pilate.  Esther  is  the  last  Hebrew  maiden  on  record,  who  fell 
so  low  as  to  be  one  of  the  many  concubines  of  a  sensual  tyrant, 
a  heathen,  to  whom  her  law  forbade  her  to  be  married.  Her 
contemporary,  the  Roman  Virginia,  preferred  death  to  shame. 
If  it  be  conceded,  that  Polygamy  had  ceased  to  exist  many 
centuries  before  the  time  of  our  Lord  and  His  Apostles,  we  are 
spared  much  useless  discussion  about  inapplicable  texts,  which 
could  not  be  meant  to  cover  circumstances,  which  never  existed. 
In  the  elder  world  cannibalism,  human  sacrifices,  witchcraft  and 
Polygamy  had  existed,  but  as  far  as  regards  the  nations  dwell- 
ing within  the  area  of  the  Roman  Empire,  they  had  died  out. 
There  is  an  abundance  of  abominable  crime  alluded  to  by  St. 
Paul,  but  it  was  beyond  his  experience  and  imagination,  that  a 
man  should  err  in  these  particulars.  It  seems  impossible,  that 
he  should  have  overlooked  them  in  the  first  chapter  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans,  had  they  existed. 


(     8     ) 

I  have  perused  a  bundle  of  letters  from  Bishops  and  Missionaries 
in  India,  which  have  arrived  at  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
this  year  in  answer  to  the  query:  they  represent  the  outcome  of 
solitary  minds,  which  had  never  discussed  the  subject  in  any 
Indian  Conference,  and  were  void  of  all  African  and  Oceanic 
experiences  :  some  would  baptize  a  Polygamist  oflf-hand,  some 
would  make  him  put  away  his  extra  wives  (though  a  wife  in 
India  is  a  reality,  not  a  mere  concubine) :  some  w^ould  exclude 
him  from  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  others  from  Church-office. 
The  well-known  verses  of  i  Timothy  iii.  2,  12,  are  freely  quoted, 
but  I  Timothy  v.  9  is  never  quoted  :  and  yet,  if  it  is  a  just 
inference  from  the  first  passages,  that  a  Bishop  and  a  Deacon 
must  be  restricted  to  Monogamy,  while  their  flock  might  be 
Polygamists,  it  follows  that  it  may  with  equal  force  be  inferred, 
that,  if  widows  admitted  into  the  number  were  to  be  wives  of  one 
husband,  the  rest  of  the  sex  might  at  discretion  be  Polyandrous. 
We  may  just  as  well  argue,  that  Polyandry  existed  among  the 
Samaritans  at  the  time  of  our  Lord.  Clearly  the  woman  of 
Samaria  at  Jacob's  well  had  five  husbands,  and,  as  Dean  Alford 
remarks,  they  were  certainly  lawful  husbands :  we  are  not  told 
whether  they  were  simultaneous  husbands,  or  successive  under 
the  operation  of  Death  or  of  Divorce  :  but  our  Lord  adds  : 
"  he  whom  thou  now  hast  is  not  thy  husband,"  showing  that  the 
wretched  woman  had  fallen  from  so-called  legal  unchastity  to 
something  worse,  the  position  of  a  harlot,  and  she  admits  the 
truth.  "  He  told  me  all  things  that  ever  I  did."  Of  neither 
custom  is  there  a  scintilla  of  evidence.  There  are  three  other 
alternative  explanations:  (i)  the  Bishop,  Deacon,  and  widow, 
must  not  have  suffered  bereavement  and  had  two  partners  in 
succession  in  lawful  matrimony,  (2)  they  must  not  have  availed 
themselves  of  the  lax  rules  of  divorce,  and  made  new  alliances, 
while  their  former  partner  was  living,  (3)  they  must  not  be,  like 
Roman  Priests,  celibates.  The  morals  of^  the  Corinthian  Church 
were  evidently  very  low,  and  St.  Paul  speaks  out  his  mind  on 
the  duties  of  the  married  state  very  explicitly :  he  could  not 
have  passed  over  Polygamy  without  notice,  if  it  had  existed. 

Since  these  days  the  uttermost  ends  of  the  world  have  been 
reached,  and  we  find  traces  of  these  four  giants  in  America, 
Africa,  Asia,  and  Oceania.  We  find  nearly  all  the  crimes  de- 
scribed by  the  Apostle,  and  these  in  addition.  Civilization  may 
have  trodden  down  the  three  former  in  China,  Japan,  and  India, 
but  the  fourth  remains.  Elsewhere  all  are  rampant.  This  leads 
to  another  reflection.  We  cannot  conceal  from  ourselves,  that 
all  mankind  is  not  on  the  same  level  of  culture  and  privileges 
and  responsibilities,  Europe  and  European  colonies  are  far 
ahead  of  Asia,  Asia  is  ahead  of  Africa,  and  Africa  of  America 
and  Oceania.     It  is  idle  to  apply  the  same  methods  of  govern- 


(    9    ) 

ment,  to  require  the  same  standard  of  morals,  to  enforce  the 
same  discipline,  upon  tribes  just  emerging  from  savagery,  in 
the  lowest  rounds  of  culture,  left  out  in  the  cold  for  long 
centuries,  never  visited  by  prophet  or  evangelist,  never  elevated 
by  certain  hopes  of  a  future  heaven,  never  awed  by  certain 
prospects  of  everlasting  damnation.  And  yet  some  missionaries 
would  try  to  introduce  per  saltiim  ordinances  and  standards, 
which  they  could  scarcely  be  able  to  enforce  in  the  British 
Islands,  into  the  African  kraal  or  the  Indian  village.  Let  them 
set  before  their  flock  the  highest,  the  -very  highest,  standard, 
but  be  merciful  in  the  application  of  it  for  the  first  or  second 
generations. 

All  other  sins  and  offences  against  the  law  of  God  and  human 
nature  seem  to  come  to  an  end  with  the  committal  and  the 
punishment,  the  repentance  and  the  pardon.  In  Oceania  we 
have  excellent  Christians,  who  once  were  cannibals.  The 
sorcerer-priest,  the  official  murderer  of  the  human  sacrifice,  has 
been  admitted  as  a  communicant ;  the  profligate,  the  drunkard, 
the  adulterer,  the  atheist,  the  blasphemer,  the  persecutor  of 
martyred  Christians,  all  find  that  there  is  pardon  ;  but  the  curse 
of  the  unhappy  Polygamist  is,  by  the  nature  of  the  case,  a  con- 
tinuing one  ;  he  cannot  get  rid  of  it  until  his  own  death,  or  that 
of  all  but  one  of  his  unhappy  wives.  And  yet  Polygamy,  though 
it  clearly  existed,  is  not  condemned  in  the  Decalogue.  The 
few  words,  "Thou  shalt  have  but  one  wife,"  would  have  settled 
the  matter  absolutely  and  for  ever.  To  our  nineteenth-century 
ideas  the  sin  of  theft,  which  is  condemned  in  the  Decalogue,  is 
as  nothing  compared  to  that  of  Polygamy.  As  time  went  on, 
and  the  thoughts  of  men  widened  with  the  progress  of  the  suns, 
no  prophet  denounced  this  canker-worm  of  domestic  purity, 
causing  rivalry  among  women  occupying  the  same  house,  hatred 
among  the  children  of  the  same  father.  The  misfortunes  of  the 
lives  of  David  and  Solomon  could  be  so  clearly  traced  to  Poly- 
gamy, that  the  conscience  of  the  nation  would  have  accepted 
the  prohibition,  as  indeed  it  did  after  the  Captivity.  It  cannot 
be  said,  as  regards  Israel,  as  it  can  truly  be  said  with  regard  to 
the  people  of  India,  that  the  position  of  the  ruling  power  was 
so  delicate  and  precarious,  that  it  dared  not  run  the  risk  of 
intruding  into  family  customs,  for  Ezra  and  Nehemiah  plainly 
compelled  the  people  to  put  away  their  alien  wives.  A  word 
from  Moses  and  Joshua  would  have  nipped  Polygamy  in  the 
bud ;  and  David's  conduct  would  have  been  as  unjustifiable  in 
taking  eight  wives  one  thousand  years  before  the  Christian  era, 
as  Herod's  was  in  taking  nine  wives  at  the  time  of  the  birth 
of  our  Lord.  On  the  contrary,  special  favour  attached  itself 
to  Rachel,  Hannah,  and  Bathsheba,  and  their  issue,  Joseph, 
Samuel,  and  Solomon,  all  begotten  by  polygamous  fathers.    The 


(       10      ) 

missionary  must,  therefore,  maintain  some  restraint  upon 
himself  in  his  wholesale  abuse  of  Polygamy,  or  cease  to  read 
the  Old  Testament  to  his  congregation.  I  have  it  on  the 
authority  of  one  distinguished  traveller,  that  a  woman  in  West 
Africa  would  disdain  to  marry  a  man,  who  had  only  one  wife. 
I  have  it  on  the  authority  of  a  missionary,  that  after  becoming 
pregnant  the  wife  withdraws  herself  absolutely  from  the  society 
of  her  husband  for  three  years,  that  she  may  suckle  her  offspring. 
Everything  assumes  a  weird  and  awful  form  in  Africa.  A  well- 
known  traveller  a  few  years  ago  tells  us  of  a  chief,  who,  in 
addition  to  his  well  stocked  harem,  claimed  a  right  to  every 
woman  in  his  kingdom  on  whom  his  fancy  fell ;  and  among 
the  number  of  his  harem  were  his  sisters,  his  stepmothers,  his 
cousins,  his  aunts,  and  his  own  children.  The  Polygamy  of 
India,  which  excludes  every  one  within  the  limits  of  consan- 
guinity and  affinity,  and  limits  the  number  to  four  at  the  same 
time,  all  of  the  same  Caste  as  the  husband,  seems  quite  a  decent 
and  orderly  custom,  compared  to  the  frightful  excesses  of  the 
Africans  in  regions,  which  have  not  yet  come  under  European  law. 
I  have  no  wish  to  fortify  myself  by  the  opinions  of  others.  As 
stated  above,  I  regard  all  the  cases  quoted  in  the  Old  Testament 
as  inapplicable  to  Christianity  in  the  nineteenth  century,  and 
the  pages  of  the  New  Testament  as  silent ;  but  the  words, 
"  Male  and  female  created  He  them,"  "  In  the  beginning  it 
was  not  so,"  seem  to  govern  the  whqle  matter,  and  to  forbid 
imperatively  the  admission  of  Polygamy  in  any  form  into  the 
Christian  Church.  To  this  may  be  added  the  words  from  our 
Lord's  lips  in  the  inspired  Greek  version,  "They  hvain  shall 
be  one  flesh,"  and  in  Genesis,  "  I  will  make  him  an  helpmeet  for 
him;"  and  one  of  Adam's  ribs  was  taken,  emphatically  "one 
only."  The  equality  of  members  of  the  two  sexes,  that  are  born, 
is  beyond  doubt :  the  superior  fecundity  of  a  monogamous 
population  is  a  fact  capable  of  proof.  Canon  VVestcott's  words, 
in  his  "  Social  Aspects  of  Christianity,"  should  be  reflected  upon 
with  regard  to  those  words  of  our  Lord,  "the  twain  shall 
"  become  one  flesh."  "  Marriage  is  the  divine  pattern  and 
"  ground  of  human  communities,  the  original  sacrament  of  com- 
"  pleted  manhood."  How  can  this  be,  if  a  Polygamist  is 
admitted  to  the  Church .?  Marriage  is  a  type  of  the  union 
of  the  Redeemer  with  the  Church.  How  can  that  be  brought 
home,  if  seated  in  the  Church  is  a  tolerated  Polygamist  with  his 
miscellaneous  contemporary  offspring,  difl"erentiated  like  cattle 
by  the  name  of  their  sire  and  dam  .-^  If  once  Polygamists  are 
admitted  into  the  Church,  even  for  the  lifetime  of  existing  Poly- 
gamists, a  new  lease  of  life  will  be  given  to  the  institution. 
The  Native  Churches  are  rapidly  becoming  independent,  and  it 
may  please  some  lax  Christians  to  assert  a  right  for  a  Church 


(  II  ) 

to  be  polygamous.  Nor  is  this  fear  without  foundation,  as  is 
evidenced  by  the  letter  of  a  Native  Pastor  at  Abeokuta  in  Yariba- 
land,  West  Africa,  1883  • 

The  Polygamists  had  gained  ground,  and  had  trodden  down  the  com- 
municant members  of  the  community  :  I  have  since  begun  to  effect  separation 
between  the  two.  The  Polygamists  dislike  this,  and  complain  against  me 
bitterly,  that  I  virtually  separate  them  from  my  congregation,  because  they 
are  sinners.  They  would  persecute  the  communicants,  whenever  they  have 
an  opportunity.  They  used  to  be  members  of  my  local  Church  Committee, 
so  as  to  be  consulted  before  anything  is  done  by  me  in  the  Church,  and  what- 
ever they  do  not  sanction  they  would  not  have -me  to  do.  What  makes  it 
worse  is  that  they  are  the  more  enlightened  of  the  congregation.  The  yoitng 
Polygamists  have  a  company,  which  meets  once  a  month  for  feasting,  and  on 
this  occasion  Monogamy  is  a  subject  of  scandal  and  reproach.  Some  young 
male  communicants  had  joined  them  before  I  came  to  this  station  ;  up  till  now 
I  have  not  been  able  to  disconnect  them,  although  they  do  not  seem  to  join 
them  in  heart  and  mind. 

At  the  Diocesan  Conference  at  Lagos,  1887,  the  Rev.  J. 
Buckley  Wood,  a  Missionary  of  great  experience,  spoke  as 
follows : 

Another  difficulty  in  the  way  of  Church  progress  is  the  multiplication  of 
women  by  some  Christians.  There  are  some,  who  are  dead  to  the  heinousness 
of  the  sin,  in  which  they  live,  whilst  there  are  others,  who  are  far  from  being  at 
ease  in  their  sin,  and  who  would  (so  they  say,  and  I  am  inclined  to  believe 
them)  leave  it,  if  they  could  see  how.  That  there  are  great  difliculties,  which 
cannot  be  mentioned  particularly,  in  the  way  of  such,  is  a  fact.  These  persons 
attend  divine  service  regularly,  their  every-day  life,  except  as  to  the  sin  in 
question,  is  above  the  average  ;  they  use  their  influence  on  the  side  of  right, 
they  are  ready  to  subscribe  to  good  objects.  Such  form  a  stumbling-block  in 
the  Church.  People,  seeing  their  general  conduct,  are  drawn  to  think  less  of 
the  one  deadly  sin,  and  the  result  is,  that  the  protest  of  the  consciences  of  the 
really  godly  members  is  apt  to  be  lessened,  and  there  is  something  like  a 
compromise  made  with  this  sin. 

At  the  Diocesan  Conference  at  Sierra  Leone,  in  1888,  Mr. 
T.  J.  Sawyer,  a  most  respectable  coloured  citizen,  openly 
claimed  for  the  Heathen  and  Mahometan  the  right  of  having 
a  plurality  of  wives,  and  the  drift  of  his  argument  was  such,  as  to 
justify  the  opinion,  entertained  by  a  member  of  the  Conference, 
that  by  implication  he  asserted  the  right  for  the  members  of 
Christian  Churches,  not  only  if  the  ties  had  been  formed 
previous  to  baptism,  but  if  co7itracted  after  baptisrti. 

We  have  clearly  arrived  at  the  place  of  the  parting  of  the 
ways,  and  must  put  down  our  foot  now,  or  be  carried  away  by 
the  stream. 

But  in  avoiding  Scylla,  do  not  let  us  run  into  Charybdis.  The 
King  of  Kongo  professed  lately  to  the  missionaries  at  San 
Salvador,  that  he  was  in  great  trouble  about  his  wives,  and 
anxious  to  know  what  he  should  do.  The  missionaries  made 
the  prudent  reply,  that  they  could  not  advise  him  to  put  them 
away,  as  this  could  only  he  productive  of  greater  evils.     This  is  the 


(      12      ) 

■whole  gist  of  the  matter :  let  us  think  it  out  upon  the  facts 
recorded,  and  not  on  theopinions  on  those  facts. 

Some  missionaries  would  receive  the  Polygamist  on  the 
condition  of  his  retaining  one  wife  only :  but  which  wife  ?  the 
one,  who  was  the  first  married  to  him,  perhaps  old,  childless, 
neglected,  and  a  hopeless  heathen  ;  or  the  mother  of  the  largest 
number  of  his  children,  or  the  one  to  whom  his  fancy  turns, 
or  the  one  who  is  ready  to  become  a  Christian,  or  the  chief 
wife,  where  there  is  a  certain  gradation  of  rank  among  them  ? 
In  the  event  of  the  chosen  wife  dying,  must  he  choose  another 
from  his  reserve-wives,  or  from  an  entirely  new  connection  ? 
We  enter  here  into  a  succession  of  hopeless  dilemmas,  to  which 
no  satisfactory  solution  can  be  found.  Some  bolder  spirits 
would  suggest,  that  all  the  previous  marriages  were  worthless, 
and  the  new  Christian  should,  like  a  snake,  come  out  of  his  old 
skin  and  abandon  all,  "  wife,  children,  for  His  sake,"  and  be 
united  by  Christian  matrimony  to  a  Christian  woman.  I  should 
not  have  ventured  to  have  suggested  such  a  shocking  device, 
if  I  had  not  read  of  it  as  proposed.  But  natural  affection  may 
be  too  strong  for  him,  and  a  missionary  from  Be-Chuana-land 
writes,  that  in  ten  years  he  never  had  a  case  of  a  Polygamist  being 
converted,  but  he  had  known  one  instance  of  a  man  putting 
away  a  second  wife,  and  becoming  a  Catechumen ;  but  she 
came  back  to  him,  and  he  received  her,  and  left  the  faith.  We 
read  in  Helps'  Spanish  Conquest  of  America,  that  it  was  settled 
in  a  Roman  Catholic  Synod,  that  the  Polygamist  husband  might 
choose  the  wife,  whom  he  liked  best  to  be  his  partner  in  baptism: 
the  reason  given  was,  that  he  could  not  know  who  was  his  first 
wife,  but  he  knew  very  well  the  one,  whom  he  wished  to  have. 
The  Priests  did  not  care  for  the  poor  rejected  Squaws. 

I  give  an  instance  of  the  offhand  way,  in  which  a  young 
clergyman,  who  would  have  been  only  a  curate  in  England, 
disposes  of  the  persons,  morals,  honour  and  rights  of  the  poor 
wives  of  his  baptized  converts. 

An  interesting  ceremony  took  place  here  last  Sunday,  the  marriage  by 
joining  of  hands  in  the  presence  of  the  Christians,  of  three  of  our  brethren. 
We  strongly  insist,  that  every  one,  who  is  called  a  brother,  shall  bring  the 
woman,  whom  he  has  chosen  as  his  wife,  that  they  may  make  a  solemn  public 
compact.  Of  course  we  hope  to  encourage  Christian  men  only  to  marry 
Christian  women  ;  but  as  the  case  stands  most  of  the  converts  have  had  wives, 
some  three  or  four,  before  their  conversion.  We  then  insist  that  one  be  chosen 
out  and  that  the  rest  be  given  full  liberty,  if  they  think  well,  to  seek  other 
husbands.  We  have  been  deeply  thankful,  that  the  Native  Christians  have 
seen  the  propriety  of  this,  and  have  not  put  difficulties  in  our  way. 

A  lay  Missionary  at  a  Station  in  North  America  arrogated 
the  power  of  divorce  and  redistribution  of  wives  among  his 
converts,  thus  causing  a  confusion  in  one  of  the  fundamental 
bases  of  Society,  and  indicating   the   necessity  of  the   Heads 


(     13     ) 

of  the  Church  speaking  very  distinctly  on  such   subjects.     It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  say  that  he  has  been  got  rid  of. 

But  we  must  lift  up  this  subject  to  a  higher  level.  The 
missionary  sometimes  argues,  that  the  African  woman  is  a  mere 
beast  of  burden  and  a  slave,  and  at  another  time  an  object  of 
sensual  lust.  She  can  scarcely  be  both  at  the  same  time.  It  is 
sometimes  urged,  that  she  is  not  a  wife  at  all,  but  only  a 
concubine.  The  Be-Chuana  missionary  above  quoted  goes  so 
far  as  to  say,  that  the  wpmen,  who  were  put  away,  would  not 
consider  themselves  injured,  and  that  it  was  quite  a  common 
thing  for  a  woman  to  have  been  united  to  five  or  six  men  in 
succession.  Such  a  state  of  things  could  not  happen  in  India, 
and,  if  the  last  statement  be  true,  the  reply  is,  that  the  man  with 
such  connections  /s  no/  a  Polygamist  any  more  than  any  profligate 
European  deserves  that  name.  But  such  is  not  the  case  ever 
in  India,  and  only  exceptionally  in  Africa.  We  must  treat  these 
women  as  wives  and  mothers  of  legitimate  children,  and  as 
faithful  wives.  It  scarcely  seems  consistent  with  the  tenets  of 
our  holy  religion  to  try  and  save  the  soul  of  a  mati  at  the 
expense  of  the  feelings,  and  morals,  and  comforts,  and  rights 
of  his  rejected,  or  perhaps  worn-out,  wives.  They  in  honour 
gave  all,  that  hard  fortune  had  endowed  them  with,  their  person 
and  their  youth,  to  this  man,  called  him  husband,  bore  to  him 
children,  who  inherit  his  tribal  position,  his  name,  and  such 
portions  of  his  goods  as  fall  to  them.  It  is  a  prodigious  breach 
of  faith  to  make  a  clean  sweep,  or  partial  sweep,  of  all  his 
responsibilities :  if  they  are  old  and  childless,  it  is  a  bad  be- 
ginning of  a  higher  life,  that  they  should  be  cast  out  for  no 
offence  of  their  own,  deprived  of  all  solace  and  protection  ;  if 
they  are  young,  it  is  terrible  to  read  such  words  as  these  from 
the  pen  of  a  living  Bishop,  "  She  will  easily  get  another  husband 
from  her  father's  home."  It  would  have  been  better  to  dis- 
continue the  use  of  the  words  "husband  and  wife"  altogether, 
and  talk  of  the  Africans  in  the  same  terms,  as  a  cattle  breeder 
or  shepherd  talks  of  the  brute  beasts  in  his  charge.  We  all 
know  what  an  illicit  connection  is,  and  what  a  natural  child  is 
in  Europe  and  in  India:  if  by  a  process  of  inquiry  it  is  found, 
that  any  or  all  of  these  w^omen  were  the  divorced  wives  of  other 
men,  or  were  unfaithful  wives,  or  within  the  lawful  limitations 
of  kindred  and  affinity,  or  actually  married  to  some  other  man, 
let  their  names  be  struck  off  the  list  of  his  wives  ;  perhaps  some 
of  them  may  run  away,  or  disappear,  or  die,  or  it  may  be  proved, 
that  they  were  the  wives  of  his  brother,  or  the  servants  of  the 
house,  and  thus  by  a  judicial  process  it  may  come  out  that,  the 
man  is  a  Monogamist,  or  a  bachelor,  after  all.  But,  if  we  are  to 
trust  Sir  Theophilus  Shepstone,  and  the  common  report  of  the 
country,  these  women  are  wives  in  South  Africa,  and  they  most 


(     14     ) 

assuredly  are  so  in  India.  Whether  Hindu  or  INIahometan,  or 
Pagan,  let  the  missionaries  recollect,  that  they  contracted  to  each 
other  in  good  faith,  and  that  no  wrong  ought  to  be  done  to  the 
wives,  for  all  have  a  claim  on  their  husband,  not  only  for  mainten- 
ance and  protection,  but  what  St.  Paul  describes  (as  rendered  in  the 
Revised  Version)  as  "  her  due."  If  condemned  to  live  apart, 
they  may  wax  wanton,  and  be  tempted ;  and  it  is  their  husband 
then,  who  causes  them  to  commit  adultery,  by  casting  them  off. 
Forbidding  then  on  the  one  hand  the  admission  of  the 
Polygamist  into  the  Church  by  Baptism,  and  resisting  to  the 
utmost  on  the  other  hand  any  attempt  to  get  rid  of  the  burden 
of  Polygamy  at  the  expense  of  his  wives  and  children,  what 
course  do  I  recommend  for  the  present  necessity  ?  I  take  the 
following  narrative  from  Central  Africa,  the  organ  of  the 
Universities  Mission,  March,  1886,  p.  42  : 

On  the  last  Sunday  of  1885  Matola,  a  powerful  chief,  was  solemnly  admitted 
by  Bishop  Smithies  to  the  rank  of  Catechumen.  He  knelt  down  in  the  full 
congregation,  and  received  a  cross,  as  a  token  of  his  admission.  One  stumbling- 
block  he  has  in  his  way  before  he  can  be  admitted  to  Baptis?n  :  he  had  in 
former  years  become  a  Polygamist,  and  it  can  only  be  hoped,  that  God  will 
open  a  ma}'  for  him  without  injury  to  those  who  have  borne  him  children,  to 
come  out  of  the  state,  which  the  law  of  the  Church  in  all  ages  seems  to  have 
determined  to  be  a  barrier  to  admission  to  the  Christian  Covenant. 

This  seems  to  be  the  happy  via  media,  if  extended  to  the 
wives,  whose  wombs  have  been  barren.  The  man  must  accept, 
as  his  cross,  the  status,  which  his  own  conduct  has  induced.  He 
is  not  excluded  from  Christian  teaching,  or  Christian  worship ; 
but  it  is  distinctly  understood  by  the  Church,  that  such  as  he 
cannot  be  admitted  to  either  of  the  Sacraments.  His  children 
come  at  once  under  tuition  and  baptism  ;  and  for  his. wives  the 
door  is  also  open,  to  such  as  prove  that  she  being  a  virgin  or 
widow  of  a  deceased  husband  honestly  and  in  good  faith  became 
the  wife  of  one  man,  and  truly  not  in  any  way  excluded  from 
Christian  privileges,  living  after  the  manner  of  Rachel  and 
Hannah. 

Such  is  the  opinion  which  I  have  arrived  at : 

1.  Polygamist  men  are  not  to  be  admitted  to  Baptism,  but 
their  wives  may  be. 

2.  Polyandrists,  men  and  women,  are  totally  excluded ;  here 
both  men  and  women  are  sinning,  for  the  woman  in  cohabiting 
with  her  husband's  brother  during  his  lifetime  commits  incest. 

3.  No  man  should  be  encouraged  to  put  away  his  laivfiil  wives; 
he  should  be  reminded,  that  his  union  with  them  is  for  the  term 
of  their  natural  lives. 

4.  Polygamists  may  be  admitted  as  Catechumens. 
I  now  add  some  opinions  of  others  : 

In  the  fifth  Report  of  the  Annual  Meeting  of  Native  Church 


(    15    ) 

Council  of  the  Panjab  a  letter  was  read  from  the  Rev.  T.  P. 
Hughes,  C.M.S.  Missionary  at  Peshawar,  in  which  this  passage 
occurs : 

In  the  case  of  polygamous  marriages,  the  blessings  of  the  Church  could 
hardly  be  expected  ;  but  both  the  late  (Metropolitan)  Bishop  Milman,  and  the 
liisho])  of  the  Lahore  Diocese  (Bishop  French),  have  sanctioned  the  baptism  of 
Polygamists. 

In  1834  the  Conference  of  Missionaries  of  various  denomina- 
tions in  Calcutta,  including  those  of  the  Baptist,  the  London, 
the  Church  Missionary  Sofciety,  the  Church  of  Scotland,  and  the 
American  Presbyterian  Board,  after  having  had  the  whole  subject 
frequently  under  discussion,  and  after  much  and  serious  delibera- 
tion, unanimously  agreed  on  the  following  propositions,  though 
there  had  been  previously  much  diversity  of  sentiment  among 
them  on  various  points  : 

I.  It  is  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the  Bible  and  the  practice  of  the 
Protestant  Church  to  consider  the  State  as  the  proper  fountain  of  legislation  in 
all  civil  questions  affecting  Marriage  and  Divorce. 

II.  The  Bible  being  the  true  standard  of  morals,  ought  to  be  consulted  in 
everything  which  it  contains  on  the  subjects  of  Marriage  and  Divorce,  and 
nothing  determined  evidently  contrary  to  its  general  principles. 

V.  if  a  convert  before  becoming  a  Christian  has  married  more  wives  than 
one,  in  accordance  with  the  practice  of  Jewish  and  primitive  Christian  Churches, 
he  shall  be  permitUd  to  keep  all ;  but  such  a  person  is  not  eligible  to  any  office  in 
the  Church.     In  no  other  cases  is  Polygamy  to  be  tolerated  amongst  Christians. 

There  were  twenty  or  more  who  adopted  the  propositions  without  any 
exemption. — Calcutta  Christian  Observer,  vol.  iv.  p.  22. 

The  Calcutta  missionaries  a  few  years  afterwards  reviewed 
these  propositions,  and  established  them  in  a  form  more 
specifically  applicable  to  India.  With  regard  to  Polygamy, 
the  deliverance  which  they  gave  was  even  more  decided  than 
in  the  original  propositions  : 

The  meeting  were  unanimously  of  opinion,  that,  although  Polygamy  is  one  of 
the  greatest  evils,  and  is  never  to  be  tolerated  in  a  Christian  community,  when 
it  can  be  regulated  by  the  law  of  the  Gospel,  yet  in  the  case  of  Polygamy 
antecedently  to  conversion,  the  husband  is  bound  to  retain  and  provide  for  all 
his  wives,  as  such,  unless  they  choose  to  take  advantage  of  their  oivn  law.  Tliis 
last  clause  refers  to  the  renunciation  of  Hinduism  and  Mahometanism  by  either 
of  the  married  parties  being  regarded  by  both  Hindus  and  Mahometans  as 
entailing  divorce.  — Calcutta  Christian  Observer,  vol.  xi.  p.  401. 

A  writer  in  the  Calcutta  Christian  Observe^-,  vol.  iv.  pp.  91, 
371,  400,  commenting  upon  the  resolutions  of  the  missionaries, 
remarks:  "The  missionaries  are  of  opinion,  that  the  very 
"  allowances  which  God,  through  Moses,  made  for  the  Jews  in 
"  their  infant  state  as  a  people,  is  by  parity  of  reason  to  be 
*'  made  now  for  Polygamists,  who  from  heathens  become 
"  Christians."  I  have  already  alluded  above  to  the  fact,  that 
nations  are  at  different  levels  of  progress,  and  this  argument 
may  fairly  be  urged  in  favour  of  the  Africans,  the  South  Sea 
Islanders,  and  North  American  Indians,  but  scarcely  in  favour 


(     i6    ) 

of  the  Hindus,  who  are  not  in  an  infant  state,  but  the  heirs  of 
an  old  and  advanced  civilization,  and  still  less  in  favour  of 
Mahometans,  many  of  whose  ancestors  were  Christians,  and 
therefore  Monogamists,  and  who  appeal  as  their  authority  not 
to  time-honoured  custom,  but  the  comparatively  modern  law  of 
Mahomet.  I  protest  against  the  assertion,  that  Polygamy  was 
was  ever  sanctioned  in  any  primitive  Christian  church.  Let  us 
have  the  proofs. 

It  may  be  true  that  owing  to  the  contact  of  weak  Christians 
with  the  Persian,  Teuton,  Arabian,  and  African  Idolaters  in  the 
early  centuries  after  Christ,  terrible  errors  of  dogma  and  practice 
crept  into  the  Church,  and  the  custom  of  Polygamy  may  have 
made  some  way ;  but  it  was  sternly  resisted  by  the  authorities  of 
the  Church,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  has  survived  in  none  ; 
for,  however  much  the  Oriental  Churches  may  have  fallen,  still 
at  this  day,  in  the  midst  of  Mahometan  Polygamists,  though  on 
the  same  level  of  culture,  they  are  Monogamists.  But  it  is  sufficient 
for  my  argument,  that  in  the  Church,  as  left  by  St.  Paul,  it  did 
not  exist  as  a  fact,  and  its  possibility  was  not  contemplated. 

Bishop  Milman's  opinion  referred  to  was  as  follows : 

The  very  exceptional  case  of  married  life  among  natives  of  India  justified  him 
in  allowing  a  man,  lawfully  married  to  more  than  one  wife,  to  be  baptized  and 
retain  his  wives,  and  give  them  their  conjugal  due.  He  must  not  marry  another, 
or,  if  one  die,  take  another  in  her  place  ;  he  must  not  hold  any  ecclesiastical 
o^iCQ.  —  Mission  Life,  1880,  p.  227. 

Bishop  Douglas,  of  Bombay,  decided  against  the  baptism  of 
Hindus  with  two  wives,  unless  he  put  one  away.  The  present 
Bishop  of  Bombay  rather  leans  to  the  baptism  of  such  a  man 
without  that  requirement.  Similar  leanings  are  ascribed  to  the 
Bishop  of  Colombo. 

It  was  stated  that  Bishop  Caldwell  would  baptize  a  Polygamist 
in  articulo  mortis  ("Mission  Life,"  1880,  p.  185).  The  Bishop 
of  Melanesia  (Selwyn)  seemed  to  think,  that  the  putting  away  of 
the  supernumerary  wives  should  be  the  rule,  but  he  had  difficulty 
in  facing  it.  The  late  Primate  of  New  Zealand  (Selwyn  the 
elder)  was  of  the  same  opinion.  We, read  in  his  "Life"  the 
following:  "Are  you  thinking  of  becoming  a  Christian.?"  said 
the  Bishop  to  a  native  chief.  "  Yes,"  said  the  chief.  I  saw  the 
Bishop  hold  up  two  fingers,  and  then  bend  one  down.  The 
chief  nodded  assent.  The  Bishop  meant,  that  the  chief  must  get 
rid  of  one  of  his  wives.  I  do  not  find  that  he  indicated  which 
wife  should  be  unjustly  deprived  of  her  home,  and  the  society 
of  her  husband. 

There  is  a  dark  side,  as  illustrated  by  the  following  anecdote, 
given  in  the  Island  Voyage  of  the  Mclanesian  Mission  in  1885  : 

In  the  Island  of  Florida,  of  the  Solomon  Group,  a  man  was  held  back  from 
baptism,  as  having  two  wives  :  one  died,  and  he  was  baptized,  and  his  surviving 
wife  placed  under  instiuction :  it  seemed  sad  that  the  poor  dead  wife  by  living 


(     17    ) 

had  kept  back  her  husband,  and  her  fellow-wife,  from  baptism,  and  had  died 
•unbaptized.  Bishop  Pattison  felt  the  difficulty,  but  the  argument  against 
baptizing  a  Polyganiist  was  too  weighty;  but  there  seemed  no  reason  for 
keeping  back  the  poor  wives  from  baptism,  as  they  were  not  Polygamists. 

The  missionaries  of  the  Basle  Society  in  Switzerland  would 
receive  Polygamists  in  case  of  extreme  necessity,  as,  when  a  man 
had  children  by  both  his  wives,  and  all  parties  agreed  in  the 
impossibility  of  separation  ;  yet  there  is  not  one  Polygamist 
in  any  of  their  missionary  congregations  in  the  West  Coast  of 
Africa.  The  Missionaries'  of  this  Society  recognize  a  heathen 
marriage  as  a  binding  one,  and  declare  that  a  Christian  cannot 
put  away  his  wife,  though  a  heathen. 

The  Wesleyan  missionaries  positively  refuse  all  Polygamists, 
recognizing  only  a  Christian  marriage,  that  is  to  say,  one  per- 
formed in  a  Christian  Church.  If  a  heathen  become  a  Christian, 
he  may  keep  (or  rather  marry)  his  heathen  wife,  or  he  may  send 
her  away,  if  she  remarries  a  heathen.  They  direct  their  converts 
to  dismiss  all  their  wives,  and  marry  a  Christian :  in  fact,  under 
this  rule,  if  a  man  wishes  to  get  rid  of  his  wives,  he  has  only  to 
beco?fie  a  Christian. 

The  Moravian  missionaries  had  to  deal  with  negro  slaves  in 
America.  Their  original  rules  were:  (i)  They  would  not  oblige 
a  man  who,  previous  to  his  conversion,  had  taken  more  than 
one  wife  to  put  the  others  away  without  their  consent ;  (z)  they 
would  not  appoint  such  a  one  to  be  helper  in  the  congregation  ; 
(3)  they  would  allow  no  Christian  to  take  more  than  one  wife, 
and  he  is  bound  to  her  for  life.  In  1880  they  modified  these 
rules,  and  their  present  rule  is,  that  in  general  an  applicant  for 
baptism  is  to  dismiss  all  his  wives  but  one,  but  that,  when  this 
may  lead  to  greater  sin,  an  exception  may  be  made  under  the 
authority  of  the  District  Mission  Conference. 

I  wrote  to  my  friend  Dr.  Schrader,  of  the  Rhenish  Missionary 
Society,  at  Barmen,  in  Germany,  to  ask  for  a  statement  of  their 
present  practice,  and  in  his  reply,  July,  1886,  he  says: 

We  do  not  think  it  right,  nor  indicated  by  any  clear  word  of  God,  that 
any  one,  who  has  taken  two  or  more  legal  wives,  as  a  heathen,  should  be 
compelled  to  dismiss  them  all  except  one,  before  he  can  be  admitted  to 
baptism.  It  seems  to  me  to  be  a  bad  beginning  of  his  Christian  life  to  break 
legal  promises,  which  he  has  given  formerly.  Of  course  every  Polygamist  must 
be  told,  that  this  state  of  affairs  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  Gospel,  and,  as 
soon  as  there  is  an  opportunity  to  get  rid  of  it  in  a  legal  way,  he  ought  to  do 
it  ;  but  I  do  not  know  if  it  is  advisable  to  postpone  baptism  until  that  can 
be  done. 

The  great  difficulty,  which  has  been  felt  several  times,  is  this,  that  very  often 
in  churches,  where  Polygamists  have  been  admitted,  persons,  who  for  special 
reasons  wish  to  take  a  second  wife,  cannot  easily  understand,  why  something, 
tliat  is  alloivcd  to  otiiers,  sliould  be  denied  them.  But  to  avoid  this,  all  persons 
entering  the  Church  should  be  clearly  made  to  understand,  that  they  will  never 
be  allowed  to  take  a  second  wife,  as  long  as  the  first  is  still  living,  and  the 
Polygamist  can  hold  no  church  office.     We  have  had  amongst  our  missionaries 


(     i8     ) 

a  few  who  have  protested  against  this  liberal  praxis,  as  it  is  called  ;  but  after 
much  renewed  discussion  (for  instance  in  our  Borneo  Mission  lately)  we  have 
always  come  back  upon  this  one  opinion,  which  has  been  in  use  in  the  Rhenish 
Mission  for  a  long  time. 

This  Society  labours  in  the  Indian  Colonies  of  Holland  and 
Borneo,  as  well  as  in  South  Africa. 

With  re,o;ard  to  Africa,  let  me  quote,  the  opinion  of  Mr. 
Buckley  Wood,  an  experienced  missionary  of  the  C.M.S.  in 
Yariba-land,  in  Western  Africa  :  "  No  one  who  knows  Africa 
"  and  Polygamy  in  Africa  can  ever  doubt,  that  the  C.M.S.  is 
"  perfectly  right  in  not  for  an  hour  allowing  such  an  abominable 
"  custom  to  exist.  The  Diocesan  Conference,  convened  by 
"  the  Bishop,  in  Lagos,  in  April  1888,  and  to  which  several  lay 
"  delegates  from  our  Abeokuta  Church  were  invited,  was  regarded 
"  by  our  people  with  much  interest.  After  the  return  of  the 
"  delegates  from  Lagos  a  meeting  was  called,  and  was  largely 
"  attended,  to  which  they  gave  an  account  of  what  had  taken 
"  place  at  the  Conference.  The  sounder  portion  of  our  people 
"  were  greatly  pleased  on  learning,  that  the  feeling  at  the  Con- 
"  ference  had  been  so  decidedly  in  favour  of  going  forward  on 
"  the  old  lines,  and  of  giving  no  recognized  place  in  the  Church 
"  to  Polygamy  in  any  form.  This  feeling  was  not  shared  by 
"  all.  Some  of  those,  who  have  become  entangled  in  the  sin 
"  of  keeping  a  plurality  of  women,  would  have  welcomed  some 
"  relaxation  of  the  rules,  that  have  hitherto  been  followed." 

Thus  we  have  the  direct  contrary  practice  in  force  in  different 
portions  of  the  mission-field. 

I  have  already  stated  that  the  status  of  "  wife "  should  be 
defined,  and  in  each  case  ascertained ;  and  that  the  concubine, 
the  wife  of  another  man,  the  divorced  wife,  the  slave-girl,  the 
person  within  the  limits  of  blood  or  affinity,  cannot  be  deemed 
wives,  and  that  the  man  is  in  such  cases  a  profligate,  but  '7tot 
a  Polygamist.  It  seems  so  simple  ;  but  I  read  in  a  missionary 
periodical,  June,  1886,  the  following: 

A  convert  proved  the  sincerity  of  his  faith  by  making  quite  a  sacrifice.  An 
uncle  died  leaving  two  wives  ;  these,  according  to  native  custom,  fell  by  law  of 
inheritance  to  the  nephew.  He  was  betrothed  to  another  girl,  whom  he  has 
since  married.  He  was  told  that  if  he  continued  to  commit  Polygamy,  he  could 
not  be  admitted  to  the  Church  ;  to  put  away  his  two  wives,  his  aunts  by 
marriage,  was  a  great  sacrifice  ;  but  this  convert  was  not  long  in  deciding,  and 
the  two  wives  were  put  away. 

Can  anything  reflect  more  on  the  common  sense  of  a 
missionary  than  this  }  Can  he  not  see  that,  under  no  law, 
human  or  divine,  could  it  have  been  right  for  a  man  to  take  as 
his  wife  the  widow  of  the  brother  of  his  father  or  his  mother.? 
It  is  rank  incest.  Every  Hindu  and  INIahometan  would  protest 
against  such  a  thing.  The  wife  of  an  uncle  is  to  a  man  as  his 
own  mother.  They  were  not  wives,  and  the  man  was  not  a  Poly- 
gamist, but  guilty  of  incest. 


(     19    ) 

.  There  will  be  no  difficulty  in  asking  each  candidate  for  Baptism 
to  give  the  history  of  his  family,  and  the  circumstances,  under 
which  he  began  to  cohabit  with  each  female  :  there  will  be  the 
slave-girl,  the  chance  concubine,  the  divorced  wife  of  some  one 
else,  the  runaway  wife  of  some  one  else,  the  female  relations, 
whom  he  has  inherited,  the  captive  (like  poor  Hecuba,  and 
Andromache),  and  perhaps  the  real  wife,  or  possibly  the  real 
wives  \  it  is  too  true,  that  many  real  wives  in  Africa  did  not 
always  enter  marriage  in  a>  state  of  virginity,  and  this  is  a  fact 
to  be  weighed  :  we  are  opening  out  a  question  not  of  human  but 
of  Divine  Law,  and  the  virgin-spouse  may  in  the  sight  of  God 
be  the  only  lawful  wife,  and  in  the  sight  of  man  the  one,  which 
deserves  the  most  consideration. 

We  must  remember  that  to  live  with  two  women  after  the  way 
of  the  flesh  is  a  sin :  it  is  too  late  in  the  history  of  the  Christian 
Church  to  argue  about  this.  How  can  the  Preacher  from  the 
Pulpit  inveigh  against  this  and  cognate  sins,  if  under  his  eyes 
sits  a  baptized  Polygamist  with  a  wife  on  each  side  of  him,  and 
a  third  on  the  opposite  seat,  with  babies  in  their  arms  of  nearly 
the  same  age  ?  As  mentioned  above,  such  events  cause  a  laugh 
even  among  Hindus,  but  something  like  a  blush  of  shame  or  a 
tear  among  Christians.  If  we  return  to  Old  Testament  practice, 
how  can  we  reject  the  prayer  of  the  barren  wife,  good  soul  ! 
who  wishes  to  see  offspring  begotten  by  her  husband  from  her 
maidservant,  that,  like  Rachel,  she  may  also  have  children  on 
her  knees  by  her :  how  can  we  resist  the  practice  of  the  law  of 
levirate  marriage  } 

This  is  no  allusion  to  an  obsolete  practice.  I  have  as  a  judge 
in  the  Panjab  decided  scores  of  cases  turning  upon  this  right, 
claimed  by  the  male,  resisted  by  the  female,  for  the  sake  of  the 
property  of  the  deceased,  not  the  person  of  his  widow.  If  we 
allow  Polygyny,  how  can  we  resist  Polyandry  .?  They  hang 
upon  the  same  thread. 

One  other  event  is  linked  with  this  season,  the  attendance  at  Holy  Com- 
munion of  one  who  had  for  many  months  absented  herself,  viz.  Rachel,  a 
Christian  from  Giriama.  Slie  liad  run  away  from  her  country  about  June, 
1886,  ratlrer  than  marry  her  brother-in-law,  who  was  a  heathen,  on  the  death 
of  her  husband.  She  has  since  come  regularly,  and  I  doubt  not  found  help 
and  strength  thereby. — Mombasa,  1888. 

There  are  many  things  here  to  hinder  the  progress  of  our  work,  but  amongst 
them  all  there  is  not  one,  that  gives  rise  to  half  the  difficulties,  that  in  one  way 
or  another  originate  from  Polygamy.  There  are  many  of  these  who,  though 
they  have  renounced  heathenism,  cannot  be  baptized  because  of  their  addicted- 
ness  to  Polygamy  and  other  sensual  habits.  I  might  have  perhaps  reported 
larger  results,  had  we  to  contend  against  simple  idolatry.  Because  there  are 
many,  whose  confidence  in  idolatry  has  been  shaken,  but  who  yet  stick  to 
it  because  they  cannot  rise  up  to  the  high  and  holy  living  which  Christianity 
demands.  Ondo  idolatry  is  consorted  on  one  hand  to  Polygamy  and  Polyandry, 
and  on  the  other  hand  to  the  revolting  custom  of  human  sacrifices. — Rev.  C, 
Phillips,  Native  Pastor  of  Ondo,  IV.  Africa. 


(       20      ) 

I  have  decided  cases  turning  upon  this  latter  custom,  and 
found  the  women  with  a  plurality  of  husbands  quite  as  jealous 
as  to  the  suspicious  conduct  of  one  of  her  husbands,  as  the  man 
with  a  plurality  of  wives  is  as  to  the  conduct  of  his  wives. 

Finally  we  must  think  not  of  the  sufferings,  or  the  deprivations, 
of  a  single  individual,  but  of  the  Holiness  of  the  Church  of 
Christ.  No  one  can  read  the  paper  read  by  Mr.  Sawyer,  a  pure 
Negro,  at  the  Diocesan  Conference  at  Sierra  Leone,  this  very 
year,  1888,  without  being  satisfied,  that  the  African  Church  would 
willingly  tolerate  Polygamy,  if  they  were  free  from  European 
influences.  His  paper  is  most  timely,  as  it  discloses  the 
thoughts  of  a  respectable  African  Christian  gentleman,  that 
Monogamy  cannot  be  enforced  anywhere  without  the  aid  of 
human  law,  that  the  precepts  of  Morality,  the  common  law  of 
Europe  since  the  time  of  Homer,  the  words  of  our  Lord, 
"  Male  and  Female  created  He  them,"  go  for  nothing  :  and 
finally  that  the  hope  of  raising  a  woman  to  a  place  of  honour 
by  the  side  of  her  husband,  as  the  sole  partner  of  his  jo)S  and 
sorrows,  the  sole  mother  of  his  children,  is  vain. 

These  lines  are  written  by  one,  who  knows  Polygamy,  having 
lived  many  years  amidst  a  polygamous  people,  and  become  familiar 
with  the  domestic  history  of  Nations  where  that  practice  has 
prevailed.  In  an  analysis  of  the  magnificent  Sanskrit  Epic 
Poem,  "  The  Ramayana,"  I  wrote  as  follows  thirty-five  years  ago  : 
"  All  was  joy  and  exultation,  when  a  dire  calamity  fell  on  ttie 
"  head  of  the  King,  and  the  people,  and  the  faultless  hero.  It 
"  was  the  curse  of  that  hated  Polygamy,  that  licensed  concu- 
"  binage,  that  chartered  libertinism,  which  is  still  tolerated  in 
"  the  Indian  Empire,  that  brought  on  the  catastrophe.  When 
"  shall  we  cease  to  talk  about  the  ladies  of  the  Zanana,  the 
"  wives  of  the  Raja,  in  allusion  to  the  poor  victims  of  faniily 
"  custom,  who  are  still  immured  in  palaces  ?  When  shall  we  learn 
"  to  call  things  by  their  right  names,  and  at  least  not  countenance 
"  the  abuse  ?  It  was  the  curse,  which  has  toppled  dynasties,  and 
"  ruined  families,  from  the  day  that  Abraham  banished  Ishmael 
"  to  clear  the  prospects  of  Isaac,  from  the  day  that  the  feasting 
"  of  Adonijah  at  En-rogel,  beneath  Mount  Moriah,  was.  inter- 
"  rupted  by  the  cries  of  '  God  save  King  Solomon  ! '  from  the 
"  valley  of  Gihon  under  the  heights  of  Mount  Zion.  The  old 
"  King  had  three  consorts:  to  the  eldest  was  born  Rama,  the 
"  hero  of  the  story  :  to  the  second,  a  young  and  beautiful  woman, 
"  was  born  Bharata,  his  unwilling  and  yet  fatal  rival "  (Linguistic 
and  Oriental  Essays,  1880,  p.  75). 

A  great  responsibility  falls  upon  the  Episcopal  Synod  assembled 
at  Lambeth  this  year  1888.  If  the  Bishops  yield  to  a  pretended 
present  necessity,  it  will  be  like  the  letting  out  of  a  stream,  which 
cannot  be  controlled.  The  late  revelations  at  Sierra  Leone, 
to  which  the   Bishop  of  Sierra  Leone  can  in   person  testify, 


(      21       ) 

.show  clearly,  that  it  is  not  the  baptism  of  an  occasional  Poly- 
gamist,  which  is  sought  for,  but  the  toleration  of  Polygamy  in 
the  Christian  Church.  No  line  can  be  drawn.  The  converts 
are  not  necessarily  old  men,  whose  family  arrangements  are 
complete,  but  young  men  with  a  possible  plurality  of  young 
wives,  and  for  twenty  years  the  scandal  would  be  manifested  of 
children  being  brought  to  the  baptismal  Font,  born  by  different 
women  to  the  same  father.  What  will  be  the  feeling  of  other 
young  men  in  the  congregation,  who  have  been  unhappy  in 
their  marriages,  but  a  desire  to  share  the.  privileges  of  their 
contemporary  ?  Moreover,  if  the  cohabitation  of  a  man  with  two 
women  is- wrong,  hopelessly  wrong,  fundamentally  wrong,  and 
contrary  to  Christian  morals,  how  can  the  accident  of  such  a 
practice  having  commenced  before  such  a  date  satisfy  the  Christian 
moralist .?  Consideration  for  the  poor  innocent  woman  forbids 
the  cruel  policy  of  putting  her  away  and  driving  her  into  sin  : 
consideration  for  the  Church  of  Christ  forbids  the  admission  of 
a  man  encumbered  with  such  ties  to  be  admitted  to  Baptism  on 
account  of  the  bad  example  which  would  be  set  to  others  ?  As 
to  the  man's  own  Salvation,  we  can  leave  it  without  anxiety  to 
the  unfailing  and  unlimited  mercies  of  our  Saviour  and  his 
Saviour.  The  whole  hope  of  the  purity  of  Oriental  Churches 
depends  upon  the  elevation  of  women  to  their  proper  dignity, 
purity,  and  respect  from  the  other  sex.  It  matters  not,  whether 
a  woman  is  of  noble  origin,  and  respectable  parentage,  or 
sprung  of  infamous  parents  and  a  slave  :  to  the  Christian  man 
she  is  surrounded  with  the  halo  of  being  a  "  woman."  In  no 
Christian  country  is  corporal  punishment  inflicted  by  law  upon 
a  woman,  however  much  she  may  deserve  it.  The  sight  of  a 
woman  being  struck  or  ill-used  justifies  any  man  to  interfere  in 
her  behalf  against  her  parent,  against  her  husband.  The  rela- 
tions, which  she  fills  towards  men  of  daughter,  sister,  wife  and 
mother  are  so  delicate,  that  they  should  be  guarded  from  any 
possible  contamination,  confusion,  weakening,  or  pollution.  To 
render  it  possible  that  any  woman,  herself  a  Christian,  should 
share  the  bed  of  a  Christian  man  with  others  of  her  own  sex, 
would  be  a  disgrace  to  any  Church,  and  a  sure  herald  of  the 
decadence  of  that  Church. 

At  the  time  of  the  introduction  of  a  new  Religion  into  a  race 
or  tribe,  the  mode,  in  which  the  mystery  of  the  union  of  the  two 
sexes  is  dealt  with,  is  the  highest  test  of  the  Religious  evolution. 
Marriage  is  at  once  the  gratification  of  a  legitimate  and  holy 
wish,  the  machinery  of  a  holy  life,  and  the  divinely  ordained 
method  of  perpetuating  a  holy  people.  Whatever  may  be  the 
practice  of  worldlings,  the  Church  must  regard  it  with  the 
profoundest  anxiety,  as  the  laxer  the  marriage  tie,  the  lower  the 
form  of  Religion  developed. 

The  Churchman,  i88b  (with  additions,  1888). 


(      22      ) 


Literature    on    the    Subject   of    Polygamy    in   Connection   with 
Christian  Churches. 

1.  Dr.  Colenso,  Bishop  of  Natal,  Remarks  on  Proper  Treatment  of  Cases  of 

Polygamy.      Pamphlet.     Pietermarhzburg,  1855. 

2.  Reply  to  the  same  Remarks  by  an  American  Missionary  (Louis  Grout,  of 

the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions).     I'amphlet.     Pietermaritz- 
burg,  1855. 

3.  Dr.   Colenso's   Reply  to  an  American  Missionary.      Pamphlet.      Pieter- 

maritzburg,  1856. 

4.  An  Answer  to  Bishop  Colenso's  Letter  on  the  Polygamy  Question,  by  an 

American  Missionary  (H.  A.  Wilder).      Pietermaritzburg,  1856. 

5.  Apology  for  the  Toleration  of  Polygamy  in  Converts  from  Heathenism,  by 

a  Protestant  Dissenter.      1856. 

6.  Bishop  Colenso's  Letter  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  on  the  Polygamy 

Question.     Pietermaritzburg,  March  i,  1861. 

7.  Review  of  Bishop  Colenso's  Remarks.     Durban,  1855. 

8.  Letter  of  Canon  Callaway.     Pamphlet.     Durban,  1S62. 

9.  Pamphlet  by  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Fowle,  1856. 

10.  Polygamy  among  Candidates  for  Baptism,  by  Bishop  Cotterill,  of  Grahams- 

town,  i86i._ 

11.  Minute  by  Bishop  Cotterill  at  Conference  of  Bishops  in  Capetown,  1861. 

Colonial  Church  Chronicle,  p.  309.      1861. 

12.  Two  Sermons  by  H.  Callaway.     Pietermaritzburg,  1866, 

13.  Government  Regulations.     Pietermaritzburg,  1869. 

14.  Minute  by  Rev.    Henry  Venn,  Secretary  to  Church  Missionary  Society. 

Pamphlet.     London,  Jan.  1857. 

15.  Report  of  Lahore  Missionary  Conference,  1862-63.      Published  at  Lodiana, 

North  India,    1863.     An  assembly  of  Clergy,    Missionaries,  and  State 
Officials. 

16.  Minute  of  Views  of  Bishop  Daniel   Wilson,  of  Calcutta,  drawn  from  his 

"  Life,"  vol.  i.  p.  363.     Appendix  to  above. 

17.  Conference   of   Missionaries  held  by  'Bishop,  of  Bombay.     Mission   Life, 

p.  185,  1880. 

18.  Letter  of  Dr.  Smythies,  Bishop  of  Equatorial  Africa,  pp.  79,  So.     Central 

Africa,  June  i,  1886. 

19.  Polygamy  in  the  Himalaya.     Dr.  Stulpnagel.      ImWan  £z'af/£'clical /icvii.'ia, 

Oct.  1877. 

20.  Polygamy    in    Relation    to    Christian    Baptism,    by    Professor    Cheyne 

Oxford.     Mission  Life,  1880,  p.  145. 

21.  Missionary  in  Be-Chuana-land.     Mission  Life, 

22.  Life  of  Bishop  Selwyn,  of  New  Zealand. 

23.  Brown's  History  of  Missions,  vol.  iii.  pp.  365,  558. 

24.  Calcutta  Christian  Observer,  vol.  iv.  pp.  91,  371,  400. 

25.  Letters  to  the  Primate,  by  Douglas,  Bishop  of  Zululand,  on  the  Subject  of 

Polygamy,  1886. 


(     23     ) 

26.  Paper  on  Polygamy,  by  Bishop  of  Grahamstown,  1883. 

27.  Paper  read  at  Wakefield  Church  Congress,  18S6,  by  the  Lord  Bishop  of 

Exeter. 

28.  Polygamy  in  connection  with  Christian  Missions,  by  Professor  Stokes.     The 

Chinchman,  18S6. 

29.  Paper  read    by   I.    H.    Willoughby,    Esq.,    at   the   Diosesan  Conference, 

Lagos,  18S7. 

30.  Paper  read  by  T.  J.  Sawyer,  Esq.,  at  Diocesan  Conference,  Sierra  Leone, 

1888. 

31.  Indian  Evangelical  Review,  April,  1886,  Rev.  J.J.  Lucas. 

32.  The  Proper  Mode  of  dealing  with  Cases  of  Polygamy  in  Candidates  for 

Baptism,  by  Dean  Green,  of  Maritzburg,  South  Africa.     English  Church 
Union,  1 888. 

33.  Reports  of  Deputation  of  Church  Missionary  Society  to  Sierra  Leone  and 

Yoruba-land,  1888. 

34.  Bishop  of  Melanesia's  Letter  to  the  Lambeth  Conference,  18S8, 


(     25     ) 


II. 

SLAVERY  IN  CHRISTIAN  CHURCHES. 
A. — British  Protestant  Missions  in  Madagascar. 

The  Lord  Chief  Justice  a  few  years  ago  remarked  in  the  House 
of  Lords,  that  there  was  a  subject,  in  which  even  a  Judge  might 
be  forgiven,  if  he  spoke  with  warmth.  That  subject  was  Slavery. 
My  devotion  to  Missions  is  only  exceeded  by  my  abhorrence  of 
Slavery,  and  when  the  name  of  a  Missionary  is  mixed  up  with 
that  of  Slaverv^  I  feel  in  a  dilemma,  and  I  wish  to  discuss  this 
subject  with  more  than  judicial  coldness.  A  Missionary  is 
obliged  to  tolerate  Slavery,  and  he  is  obliged  to  tolerate  many 
other  evil  customs,  such  as  Polygamy,  divorce,  exaggerated 
Caste,  drunkenness,  and  profligacy ;  but  he  should  cut  off  his 
right  hand  rather  than  directly  or  indirectly  countenance  it. 
There  are  many  fancy  grievances,  and  many  ephemeral  Societies 
are  started  to  paint  the  evil,  which  they  denounce,  in  exaggerated 
colours,  and  suggest  remedies,  which  would  often  be  worse  than 
the  disease.  On  the  question  of  Slavery,  however,  no  two  men 
can  be  found,  righteous  or  unrighteous,  who  will  defend  the 
status,  and  there  is  no  true  Briton,  who  in  this  Nineteenth 
Century  would  not  lend  his  aid  to  any  measure,  which  might 
sweep  from  the  world  the  abominable  practice  of  involuntary 
labour. 

We  are  too  apt  to  imagine,  that  Slavery  in  Asia  and  Africa  is 
of  the  same  character  as  the  Slavery  of  the  Planters  in  North 
America,  and  the  West  Indian  Islands.  Such  is  not  the  case. 
In  Mahometan  countries  the  slave  is  often  treated  as  a  member 
of  the  family,  and  some  slaves  possess  slaves.  Still  a  large 
percentage  of  the  women  have  to  submit  to  involuntary  con- 
cubinage with  their  owners,  and  a  certain  percentage  of  the 
males  are  turned  into  eunuchs  to  serve  as  guards  to  their  polluted 
sisters.  The  lash,  and  the  poison,  the  private  sale,  and  the 
auction  mart  are  always  possibilities.  The  right  of  husband, 
the  right  of  parent,  education,  religion,  power  of  locomotion, 
of  amassing  a  competence    for   old   age,    are,   as   regards   the 


(      26      ) 

slave  portion  of  a  population,  suspended,  whilst,  as  regards  the 
free  portion,  honourable  labour  cannot  exist,  where  everything 
menial  is  done  by  a  slave.  No  true  social  state  can  be  founded 
on  Slavery,  and  no  real  Christianity. 

In  British  India  forty  years  ago  Slavery  existed  in  its  mildest 
form,  and  it  was  not  deemed  prudent,  considering  the  vast 
population  of  that  country,  and  the  small  number  of  the  British, 
to  abolish  it  in  so  many  words.  But  a  law  was  passed,  that  the 
so-called  slave  possessed  the  same  rights  in  a  court  of  justice, 
civil  and  criminal,  as  the  freeman.  The  lash  and  the  prison 
ceased  thus  to  be  operative,  and  the  bad  custom  has  gently 
died  out.  But  it  did  most  unmistakably  exist.  I  have  often  had 
petitions  filed  in  my  court  by  women,  fugitives  from  the  house 
of  some  rich  man,  praying  for  leave  to  go  where  they  wished  ; 
and  in  spite  of  the  angry  protests  of  their  owner,  the  brief  order 
has  been  endorsed  on  the  petition,  "that  the  parties  are  at 
"  liberty  to  do  as  they  liked." 

Now  supposing  some  energetic  young  magistrate  had  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  a  training  college  in  any  district  of  British 
India,  and  had  sent  up  his  plans  of  buildings  providing  for  a 
room  for  each  student,  and  a  room  above  for  his  slave,  I  can 
answer  as  to  the  nature  of  the  reply,  which  he  would  have 
received  from  any  commissioner  or  any  governor.  I  know  the 
order,  that  I  should  have  endorsed  myself  on  such  an  appli- 
cation, and  I  think  that  my  great  master,  John  Lawrence,  would 
have  done  the  same  only  in  stronger  language  :  "  Send  back  the 
"  scheme,  and  remind  the  writer,  that  he  is  a  Gentleman  and  a 
"  Christian,  and  that  any  more  proposals  of  this  kind  will  lead 
"  to  his  removal  from  a  post  of  which  he  is  unworthy."  If  it 
had  transpired  that  the  public  officer  had  slaves  among  his 
domestics,  knowing  that  they  were  such,  knowing  that  a  portion, 
of  the  wages  paid  by  him  to  his  attendant  went  to  the  slave- 
owner, it  would  have  been  intimated  to  him,  very  unmistakably, 
that  such  things  must  not  be,  that  he  must  rather  submit  to  the 
inconvenience  of  a  bad  cook  than  have  a  slave  cook,  in  a  word, 
that  the  servants  of  the  Queen-Empress,  must  not,  directly  or 
indirectly,  countenance  Slavery,  though  out  of  wise  far-seeing 
policy  they  tolerated  it  for  one  generation. 

And  yet  the  Missionaries  of  the  Church  of  England  in  INIada- 
gascar  find  it  right  to  act  in  the  manner,  in  which  I  have  only, 
by  a  stretch  of  fancy,  imagined  a  civil  officer  of  Government 
acting,  for  I  feel  sure  that  no  civil  or  military  officer  would  ever 
have  so  done.  Let  me  quote  the  words  used  in  the  Mission  Field 
of  1878,  pp.  580,  581  : 

The  most  important  and  hopeful  step  is  the  opening  of  a  College  to  educate 
native  Catechists  and  Clergy.  The  students  are  all  married ;  each  has  a 
house,  consisting  of  sitting-room,  bed-room,  and  kitchen,  lijUh  an  upstairs  room 

for  his  slaves. 


(     27     ) 

It  has  transpired,  and  has  not  been  denied,  that  the  domestics 
of  the  Missionary  and  the  Mission  are  slaves,  receiving  indeed 
adequate  wages,  and,  no  doubt,  leading  comfortable  and  happy 
lives,  yet  still  paying  over  a  portion  of  their  wages  to  their 
slave-owner,  who  had  the  power  to  chastise  them,  imprison 
them,  sell  them  by  private  contract,  and  break  up  the  relation 
of  husband  and  wife,  parent  and  child.  In  such  a  home,  as  that 
of  the  Missionary,  the  female  slave,  and  the  wife  of  the  slave, 
would  enjoy  an  honoured  status  ;  but  that,  which  a  Missionary 
allows  himself  to  do,  a  layman,  and  a  bad  layman,  can  do  also, 
and  without  the  purity  and  self-restraint  of  a  Missionary  house- 
hold. .We  make  no  charges  against  the  European  residents  of 
the  island,  but  somehow  or  other  mixed  races  do  come  into 
existence,  and  the  history  of  the  Southern  States  of  the  great 
American  Republic  is  before  us,  as  a  beacon  and  a  warning, 
that  the  status  of  Slavery  is  incompatible  with  a  moral  and 
religious  life. 

These  students  are  to  be  trained  to  be  Catechists  and  Pastors. 
It  is  amazing  to  read  that  the  stoutest  champions  of  Slavery  in 
the  island  are  the  Native  Pastors  themselves  of  the  Noncon- 
formist Churches.  British  Missionaries  of  all  denominations 
have  everywhere  steadily  denounced  the  practice,  but  have  not 
found  themselves  strong  enough  to  pass  that  order  in  Mada- 
gascar, which  their  brethren  in  Asia  and  Africa  have  passed, 
that  no  office-holder  of  the  Church  should  hold  or  employ  slaves. 
A  grotesque  feature  is  disclosed  in  the  fact,  that  some  of  the 
Pastors  are  slaves  themselves,  and  that  a  portion  of  their 
stipend,  collected  under  the  influence  of  prayer,  in  their 
churches  and  chapels,  finds  its  way  through  the  funnel  of  these 
consecrated  Pastors  to  the  accursed  stores  of  the  slave-owners. 
For  these  slaves  are  the  sweepings  in  of  raided  villages,  the 
captives  made  in  unjustifiable  wars,  in  which  the  men  were  all 
killed,  and  the  women  and  children  made  slaves,  the  purchases 
made  by  private  sale  in  the  weekly  slave  market  at  the  capital  of 
the  kingdom,  for  the  public  market  has  only  been  interdicted 
within  the  last  five  or  six  years. 

It  is  of  no  use  arguing,  that  the  Government  of  the  island 
cannot  abolish  the  practice,  or  render  it  innocuous,  by  giving 
full  power  to  redeem  slaves,  or  enact  a  similar  law  as  the  one 
enacted  in  British  India,  which  will  lead  to  the  same  results. 
Under  pressure  from  the  British  Government  the  Queen  of 
Madagascar  has  prohibited  the  import  of  slaves  from  Africa,  set 
free  by  a  stroke  of  the  pen,  without  compensation,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  ^  imported  Africans,  forbade  the  export  of 

^  Admiral  Gore  Jones  says  in  his  Report,  published  in  a  Parliamentary 
Paper,  1 883,  that  the  Queen  had  liberated  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
Mozambiques  at  an  enormous  loss  to  herself  and  the  principal  slave-owners. 


(     28     ) 

Malagas!  slaves  to  other  islands,  and  prohibited  the  weekly  slave 
market.  This  shows,  that  the  Queen  is  an  arbitrary  sovereign, 
who  can  deal  at  pleasure  with  the  property  of  her  subjects. 
Great  sympathy  has  been  felt  with  the  Queen  of  Madagascar  in 
the  peril,  in  which  she  stands  in  face  of  the  Government  of 
France,  and  much  of  this  sympathy  has  arisen,  because  it  is 
credibly  believed,  that  the  real  object  of  the  French  is  to  secure 
slaves  from  Madagascar  for  their  own  colonies;  but  the  sympathy 
in  question  will  greatly  diminish,  when  it  transpires,  that  so 
locally  deep-rooted  is  the  system,  so  necessary  a  feature  is  it  of 
domestic,  and  even  of  Missionary  life,  that  a  Church  of  England 
Missionary  constructs  a  college,  presumably  as  a  permanent 
institution,  with  rooms  for  slaves.  There  is  no  euphemism  to 
cover  the  objectionable  phrase,  and  there  is  no  half-feeling 
possible  as  to  the  religious  public  of  England  objecting  to  have 
"Missions."  and  "Slavery"  brought  into  such  juxtaposition. 
It  is  said  that  at  Rome  you  should  do  as  at  Rome,  and  in  Mada- 
gascar as  at  Madagascar,  and  thus  male  and  female  slaves 
become  part  of  the  daily  life  of  a  theological  student. 

I  will  not  stop  to  argue  with  those,  who  would  drag  the  wisest 
and  most  tender-hearted  of  men,  St.  Paul,  into  this  controversy. 
The  heart  of  Great  Britain  and  of  the  great  American  Republic 
have  beaten  in  unison,  and  it  is  a  settled  rule,  that  in  no  state  of 
society,  or  culture,  or  political  government,  is  Slavery  to  be 
countenanced  by  any  one  of  the  great  Anglo-Saxon  Race.  A 
short  time  ago  I  received  a  letter  from  a  Missionary  Society 
in  the  United  States,  expressing  astonishment  at  the  state  of 
things  in  Madagascar.  It  was  Slavery,  that  brought  on  the 
terrible  civil  war  in  North  America,  and  it  would  seem  as  if  the 
French  Invasion  were  so  timed  as  to  bring  matters  to  an  issue. 
In  Tunisia  the  Bey  had  a  few  years  before  the  French  Invasion" 
abolished  Slavery,  following  the  example  of  Algeria,  and  setting 
the  example  to  Egypt. 

How  does  it  happen  that  in  Madagascar  alone  of  all  the 
Mission  Fields  in  Asia  and  Africa  is  it  found  necessary  to 
countenance  slavery  }     Surely  Bishop  Steere,  at  Zanzibar,  found 

These  Mozambiques  are  members  of  the  very  tribes,  Yao,  Makua,  and  Niassa, 
among  whom  the  Universities  Mission  and  the  Scotch  Missions  labour.  Surely 
out  of  so  many  thousands  a  sufficiency  of  freedmen  could  be  found  to  supply 
domestics  in  the  families  and  colleges  of  Missionaries,  and  the  class  from  whom 
the  servants  of  the  Mission  on  the  continent  are  drawn  are  good  enough  for  the 
Missionaries  of  the  island.  The  Native  Malagdsi  Pastor  can  hold  slaves,  but 
no  subject  of  the  Queen  of  England,  in  any  part  of  the  world,  can  purchase  a 
slave  without  being  liable  to  an  indictment  for  felony  in  the  Courts  of  London. 
The  Missionaries  in  the  Island  of  the  Mauritius  do  not  employ  slave-labour. 
It  is  true  that  the  law  of  England  forbids  it  there,  but  it  has  always  been 
understood  that  in  moral  questions  the  Missionary  obeys  a  Higher  Law  than 
that  of  the  Civil  Government. 


(      29      ) 

circumstances  very  analogous,  and  yet,  from  the  first,  he  and 
his  colleagues  have  set  their  face  against  it.  How  do  the 
Missionaries  at  Masa'si  and  Magila  provide  themselves  with 
domestics  ?  And  how  do  the  students  of  the  Training  College 
at  Zanzibar  do  without  the  upstairs  room  for  the  slaves  ?  How 
do  the  Missionaries  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  manage 
at  Mombasa  on  the  East  Coast,  at  Sierra  Leone,  Lagos,  and  on 
the  Niger,  on  the  West  Coast,  in  regions,  where  the  very  air  is 
impregnated  with  Slavery,  where  the  Mission  agents  are  them- 
selves redeemed  slaves,  or  the  offspring  of  redeemed  slaves  ? 
Among  the  founders  of  that  Society  were  Wilberforce  and 
Thornton,  and  the  Committee  has  steadily  opposed  any  com- 
promise, any  departure  from  the  simple  rule,  that  no  office- 
holder must  countenance  Slavery.  It  is  not  the  business  of  a 
Missionary  to  start  a  crusade  against  Slavery,  but  he  should  say, 
"As  to  my  home  and  family,  we  will  not  be  contaminated  by 
"  Slavery."  Great  inconvenience  is  no  doubt  felt,  and  life  might 
be  made  easier  by  sitting  looser  to  principle,  and  it  is  not 
pretended,  that  the  rule  referred  to  is  not  sometimes  broken. 
I  read  of  a  negro  pastor  in  the  Yariba  country,  for  instance, 
who,  to  save  his  dying  wife,  bought  a  slave-girl  to  act  as  wet- 
nurse  to  his  baby,  educated  her,  converted  her,  set  her  free,  and 
had  her  married,  and  then  humbly  apologised  for  having  so  far 
broken  the  rules  of  the  Society  in  an  exceptional  case,  to  the 
manifest  advantage  of  the  slave.  So  if  one  or  two  slaves  had 
found  their  way  to  the  Training  College  at  Madagascar,  been 
redeemed,  and  converted,  there  would  be  nothing  to  object  to ; 
but  in  this  case  there  is  a  permanence  given  to  the  institution, 
and  a  determined  standing  up  for  the  practice  in  a  building 
permanently  dedicated  to  the  Church  of  England. 

I  read  that  in  the  Brazils  the  manufacturing  companies  are 
urged  not  to  employ  slaves,  whose  wages  are  paid  to  the  slave- 
owner. Are  the  ordained  Ministers  of  our  Church  to  occupy  a 
lower  moral  position  than  a  manufacturing  company  ?  The 
Missionary,  in  my  opinion,  is  the  jewel  and  glory  of  the  Nine- 
teenth Century.  He  is  the  honest,  unselfish,  simple-minded 
man,  who  is  found  in  every  part  of  the  world,  generally  in  the 
darkest,  as  a  witness  of  the  Truth,  and  a  living  protest  against 
the  abominable  customs  of  the  heathen.  I  write  this  advisedly, 
for  I  have  lived  a  quarter  of  a  century  in  the  midst  of  the  heathen, 
and  have  learnt  to  love  the  heathen  people  and  conciliate  their 
love  ;  yet  I  have  always  recognized  their  failings,  and  the  blessing 
conferred  on  a  heathen  country  by  the  Missionary,  simply  because 
he  adopts  the  highest  standard  of  morality,  the  highest  possible, 
and  most  chivalrous  standard,  which  keeps  up  to  the  mark  the 
well-intentioned  but  feeble  Christian  laymen,  and  impresses  the 
heathen  around.  The  pastor  from  the  pulpit  denounces  Polygamy, 


(     30     ) 

Divorce,  and  Slavery,  as  bad  customs  ;  but  how  can  he  do  so  with 
any  consistency,  if  he  returns  to  a  polygamous  household  to  eat 
a  dinner  cooked  by  slaves  ?  The  Madagascar  code  of  laws 
tolerates  a// these  customs  :  why  does  the  Missionary  find  strength 
to  put  his  foot  down  against  the  first  two,  and  weakly  yield  to 
the  third,  which  is,  in  fact,  the  cause  of  the  other  two  ?  Where 
there  are  female  slaves,  there  will  be  concubinage.  Polygamy, 
and  divorce,  the  last  to  an  extent  frightful  to  contemplate. 

In  Madagascar-Slavery  there  is  a  peculiar  feature,  unknown  in 
ancient  Rome,  unknown  in  modern  America.  Not  only  are  the 
so-called  servile  and  inferior  races  made  slaves,  but  also  the 
ruling  race  of  the  Hova.  If  anything  could  be  imagined  as 
worse  than  a  Briton  possessing  a  negro  slave,  it  would  be  his 
possessing  a  British  one.  We  may  anticipate  servile  wars, 
assassination,  and  a  total  disruption  of  society,  if  it  be  true,  that 
the  number  of  slaves  exceeds  the  number  of  freedmen,  and  if, 
as  the  Missionaries  say,  the  moral  force  is  already  waking.  A 
foreign  invasion  will  bring  matters  to  an  end,  and  the  slaves  will 
achieve  their  freedom  in  the  midst  of  confusion  arising  from  a 
subversion  of  the  existing  constitution. 

The  Foreign  Office  is  fully  informed  of  the  state  of  affairs, 
and  of  the  relation,  which  I3ritish  subjects,  the  Missionaries, 
bear  to  Slavery,  within  their  churches,  their  colleges,  and  their 
homes.  Moreover,  the  French  Government  is  fully  aware  also, 
and,  if  we  object  to  their  unjust  and  iniquitous  invasion  of 
Madagascar,  on  the  ground  of  their  alleged  intention  of  supply- 
ing their  colonies  with  slave-labour,  they  may  fairly  retort,  that 
the  English  Missionary  employs  slaves,  on  the  plea  of  necessity, 
treats  them  kindly,  and  pays  them  full  wages,  and  the  French 
planter  intends  to  do  the  same,  and  give  them  the  opportunity 
of  becoming  good  Roman  Catholics.  The  Roman  Catholic- 
Missionary  is  always  logical  and  consistent ;  he  goes  a  step 
further,  and  purchases  slave  boys  and  girls,  who  are  kidnapped 
from  their  parents,  with  a  view  of  forming  so-called  orphanages 
all  over  Africa. 

Mr.  Peill,  a  INIissionary  fresh  from  Madagascar,  in  a  lecture 
delivered  in  1883  at  the  Society  of  Arts,  tells  us  that  cases  of 
cruel  oppression  to  slaves  are  not  uncommon  ;  the  slaves  are  at 
the  mercy  of  their  masters,  and  have  no  recognized  rights.  In 
1881  a  law  was  passed,  that  slaves  may  no  longer  be  traded  in 
as  merchandise,  but  if  a  man  wants  a  slave  for  his  own,  male 
or  female,  he  may  buy  and  the  master  may  sell,  but  the  trans- 
action must  be  between  the  two  parties,  and  not  through  slave- 
dealers,  and  must  be  duly  registered.  The  young  child  must  not 
be  sold  away  from  its  mother,  but  there  is  no  protection  thrown 
round  the  young  girl  of  maturer  age.  In  a  late  number  of  a 
JNIissionary  journal  a  story  is  told  of  a  girl,  who  was  mistress  in  a 


(     31     ) 

Missionary  school,  being  sold  hy  her  nn'sfress,  possibly  a  Christian, 
to  an  Arab  to  be  his  concubine,  and  who  was  only  saved  from 
this  disgraceful  career  by  flight,  concealment,  and  then  a  large 
sum  collected  in  England  to  redeem  her.  Mrs,  Peill,  in  her 
letter  to  the  Anti-Slavery  Reporter,  makes  the  important  ad- 
mission, that  slaves  and  non-slaves  are  often  employed  together 
as  fellow-servants  in  a  European  family,  receive  the  same  wages, 
and  are  treated  in  the  same  way,  and  we  have  no  doubt  a  kind 
way,  and  with  such  equality,  that  the  outside  observer  would  not 
be  able  to  say  whether  they  were  slaves  ar  not.  This  convincingly 
shows,  that  free  labour  is  available,  that  the  plea  of  necessity 
cannot  be  advanced,  and  that  the  scandal  may  cease  at  once,  if 
the  Missionary  so  decide.  This  good  lady  makes  the  further 
admission,  that  the  slave-owner  derives  benefit  from  the  educated 
faculties  of  his  slave  in  the  Missionary  household.  It  is  shocking 
to  think  of  the  lad.  who  rises  to  the  position  of  teacher  and 
pastor  in  a  Mission  paying  more  and  more  on  each  rise  in  the 
world  to  his  owner,  and,  if  married  to  a  Christian  girl,  begetting 
children  to  the  profit  of  the  same  possibly  Christian  owner, 
possibly  a  native  Pastor  himself. 

The  suffering  of  the  African  slave  in  America  or  the  Mid 
Passage  has  ceased  ;  but  only  those,  who  have  for  years  read 
every  book  relating  to  Africa,  and  who  have,  as  it  were,  Africa 
on  the  brain,  can  realize  the  abomination  of  the  custom  as 
it  still  exists  in  Africa  itself.  We  may  laugh  at  the  account 
given  by  the  IMissionaries  of  the  little  children  of  the  better 
classes  in  Madagascar  going  to  Church  with  a  little  slave  behind 
them  carrying  their  Bible  and  hymn-book.  The  Pastors  can 
have  small  influence  on  their  flocks,  when  such  marks  of  pride 
and  Caste  are  tolerated.  One  Quaker  IMissionary  had  the  grace 
vouchsafed  to  him  to  denounce  the  practice  of  Slavery  in  an 
assembly  of  the  difterent  Native  Churches  in  Madagascar,  and  a 
vote  of  censure  ivas  passed  upon  him  hv  the  other  Missionaries.  He, 
however,  published  his  address  in  England,  with  the  text,  "  Touch 
not  the  unclean  thing." 

If  a  vigorous  attempt  be  made,  the  end  is  near  in  Madagascar. 
Let  the  Queen  only  agree  to  the  following  rules  urged  upon  her 
by  the  British  Nonconformist  Missionaries,  who  have  striven 
nobly  to  mitigate  the  evil : 

I.  A  Registration  of  redeemed  slaves. 

II.  A  Fixation  of  a  reasonable  price  for  a  slave,  which  must 
be  accepted,  if  tendered. 

When  the  subject  was  discussed  on  my  motion  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  a  Statesman, 
who  has  studied  the  whole  subject.  Sir  Bartle  Frere,  told  the 
meeting,  that  some  day  the  Missionaries  would  thank  the  mover 
of  the  motion  for  calling  attention  to  this  blemish;  for  it  is  a  sore 


(       32       ) 

blemish  in  a  rising  Church.  Regard  the  matter  from  whatever 
point  of  view  you  like,  Madagascar  is  the  only  Mission  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  any  part  of  the  world  that  countenances 
slavery,  and  has  slaves  on  its  premises,  other  than  those  who 
come  for  educational,  medical,  or  spiritual  advantages,  which 
the  Church  of  England  extends  to  all,  whether  Bond  or  Free. 

Taking  the  lowest  level  the  Missionary  should  recollect,  that 
the  Spanish  Priest,  though  he  cannot  put  a  stop  to  the  cruel 
custom  of  Bull-Baiting,  never  is  present  on  such  occasions.  A 
right-minded  English  Clergyman  cannot  put  a  stop  to  the  evils 
of  an  English  Race-Course,  but,  if  he  has  any  respect  for  his 
cloth,  he  never  is  seen  at  a  Race.  The  Missionary  cannot  stop 
Slavery,  but  he  and  his  office-holders  should  keep  clear  of  the 
contamination. 

Missmi-Life,   1883. 


B. — The  French  Roman   Catholics  in  Africa. 

One  of  the  great  curses  of  Slavery  and  the  Slave  Trade  is 
that  it  dislocates  the  labour  market,  and  leaves,  even  when 
abolished,  a  trail  of  evil  consequences  and  fallacies ;  and  it  is 
necessary  from  time  to  time  to  appeal  to  first  principles,  and 
expose  weak  and  evil  practices  into  which  good  men  fall. 

The  evils  arising  from  an  ill-regulated  traffic  in  Cooleys,  or 
Free  Labourers,  have  often  been  exposed.  The  movement 
of  ignorant  labourers  is  always  a  dangerous  process.  Even 
in  British  India  the  supply  of  labourers  from  the  districts  of 
Bengal,  where  there  is  a  surfeit,  to  Assam,  where  there  is  a  demand, 
is  not  accomplished  without  risk.  The  export  of  Cooleys  from 
India  beyond  the  seas  is  a  most  complicated  operation.  The 
planter  in  his  selfishness  calls  out  for  labour,  and  cares  not  by 
how  great  a  sacrifice  of  human  life  his  wants  are  supplied. 
Too  often  the  Cooley  becomes  little  better  off  than  a  slave. 
The  great  Island  of  Madagascar  is  now  destined  to  be  exposed 
to  ruin  and  loss  of  life,  with  a  view  of  supplying  labour  to 
French  planters.  The  Latin  races  never  can  be  persuaded 
to  look  upon  involuntary  labour  of  subject  races  with  the 
aversion,  with  which  the  Anglo-Saxon  regards  it. 

The  French  Roman  Catholic  Missionary  openly  conducts  his 
Missionary  operations  under  the  Black  Flag,  and  it  is  well  that 
this  should  be  thoroughly  understood.  I  will  not  quote  any 
other  authority  but  their  own  recognized  Reporter,  the  Missions 


(     33     ) 

CathoUques,  and  I  select  the  volumes  of  1 88 1-2  to  show  that 
the  practice  is  not  an  old  and  abandoned  one,  but  one  actually 
in  force  : 

Abeokuta,  Western  Africa,  Feb.  1881. 

Qu'il  nous  serait  facile  de  racheter  des  esclaves,  si  nous  avons  des  ressources. 
Apies  cliaque  expedition  guerrier  il  suffrait  de  se  rendre  sur  quelqu'une  des 
grandes  places  ou  sont  exposees  des  families  entieres  de  captifs. 

EiMBOMMA,  ON  THE   CONGO,  NoV.    1880. 

Le  Rachat  des  enfants  devenant  de  jour  en  jour  ici  plus  difficile,  je  resolus 
d'aller  voir,  si  dans  le  haut  de  Congo,  il  ne  presentait  pas  plus  de  facilite. 

Landana,  on  the  West  Coast,  Oct.  1880. 

II  profite  en  meme  temps  de  ce  voyage  pour  renouer  et  activer  I'oeuvre  si 
importante  du  Rachat  des  enfants,  car  Helas  !  au  Congo  comme  partout  ailleurs 
cette  ceuvre  devient  de  plus  en  plus  difficile. 

A  cette  epoque  la  Mission  elevait  environ  cent  enfants  dont  les  uns  avaient 
ete  confies  par  les  chefs  de  I'interieur,  et  les  autres  avaient  ete  rachdes. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1881  three  French  Missionaries  lost 
their  lives  on  the  Eastern  shore  of  Lake  Tanganyika,  in  the 
country  of  U-Rundi,  in  consequence  of  their  complicity  in  the 
purchase  of,  and  forcible  retention  of,  purchased  slaves  ;  for 
the  Wa-Bikari,  having  solicited  in  vain  the  return  of  children 
kidnapped  from  them,  in  some  way  or  other  recovered  the 
person  of  one  of  them.  The  French  Priests  threatened  the  use 
of  force  to  retake  their  slave,  but  were  anticipated  by  an  attack 
of  the  Natives,  who  made  a  sudden  onslaught  upon  and  killed 
the  French  Missionaries,  one  of  whom  had  arms  in  his  hands. 
It  is  obvious  that  children  must  belong  to  some  one.  No  tribe, 
however  savage,  will  sell  its  own  offspring.  The  slaves  sold 
must  be  the  booty  of  war,  or  the  result  of  kidnapping. 

Undeterred  by  this  catastrophe,  the  French  Roman  Catholic 
Missionaries  recommenced  their  purchases  on  a  larger  scale, 
and  at  Tabora,  in  U-Nya-Nwembe,  on  the  high  road  from 
Zanzibar  to  both  Lake  Victoria  and  Tanganyika : 

Quand  nous  exposames  a  lui  (the  brother  of  the  Arab  Governor  of  U-Nya- 
Nwembe)  notre  intention  de  racheter  des  enfants  esclaves  pour  en  faire  des 
hommes  libres  et  leur  apprendre  a  bien  vivre,  il  nous  dit :  "  Bien.  Des  enfans 
vous  en  trouverez  ici  beaucoup.  Vous  venez  pour  les  enfans ;  c'est  bon.  Je 
suis  votre  homme." 

The  pious  priest  then  remarks  : 

O  Providence  de  dieu,  qui  daignez  employer  a  votre  causes  les  vices  memes 
de  vos  ennemies  !  Puissiez  vous  tirer  de  I'avarice  de  ce  vieux  fils  de  Mahomet 
la  deliverance  et  le  salut  de  beaucoup  d'ames  autour  de  nous  ! 

Deja  nous  avons  commence  a  former  notre  petite  famille  negre,  en  7-achetant 
plusieurs  enfants,  que  Ton  promenait  dans  la  ville  comme  des  animaux  en  vente. 
Nous  aurons  frequemment  I'occasion  d'en  racheter  d'autres  sans  sorter  de  chez 
nous :  ce  sera  la  petite  peche  a  Thamecon  en  attendant  que  I'autorisation  de 


(     34     ) 

Said  Bargache  soit  ariivee  de  Zanzibar.  Alors  nous  pourrons  faire  la  grande 
peche  en  haute  mer;  peche  que  n'aura  d'autres  limites  que  celles  de  nos 
resources.  150  ou  200  francs  suffisent  pour  le  r achat  et  I'entretien  d'un  enfant 
pendant  une  annee.  Avec  15,000  ou  20,000  francs  nous  pourrait  fonder  ici  un 
orphelinat  d'une  Centaine  de  beaux  Negrillons. 

The  Arabs,  themselves  not  very  scrupulous,  held  back  from 
taking  part  in  this  tremendous  scheme,  and  begged  leave 
to  apply  to  the  Sultan,  their  Master,  at  Zanzibar.  The  Priest 
wrote  off  to  M.  Ledoux,  the  Consul  of  France,  begging  of  him 
to  use  his  influence  in  the  aid  of  this  slave-purchasing  enterprise. 
Publicity  may  possibly  have  checked  this  detestable  enterprise, 
and  it  has  been  reported  to  the  British  Foreign  Office.  That 
on  the  peaceful  high  road  from  the  Sea  to  the  Equatorial  Lakes, 
there  should  be  established  a  House  of  Kidnapped  Children, 
purchased  by  a  European,  appears  to  be  a  public  misfortune. 

In  Tanganyika  the  French  Roman  Catholic  Missionaries,  in 
spite  of  the  warning  received  by  the  slaughter  of  three  of  their 
body,  report,  September  25th,  1881,  another  advance  along  the 
dangerous  and  shameful  path. 

Nous  avons  vu  deja  mourir  plusieurs  de  ces  enfants  au  Masanje.  Aussi 
avons  nous  du  racheter  <\t%  jetmes  filUs  esclaves.  Ce  moyen  offre  de  nombreuses 
difficultes,  comme  vous  le  comprenez  facilement  vous  memes. 

If  the  kidnapping  of  boys  was  not  enough  to  rouse  a  tribe  to 
wrath  against  the  white  strangers,  surely  the  kidnapping  of  girls 
will  do  so.  The  problem  is  a  tremendous  one,  but  at  Zanzibar 
we  read : 

A  I'hopital  est  annexee  une  ecole  pour  les  petites  Negresses,  que  Ton  rachele, 
ou  qu'on  enleve  aux  marchands  des  esclaves. 

Such  is  the  practice  of  the  French  Roman  Catholic  IMissionaries 
in  the  East  and  West  of  Equatorial  Africa.  They  cannot  see, 
that  the  words,  i-achat  and  redemption,  were  applicable,  when 
sums  were  sent  to  Barbary  to  rescue  French  and  Spanish 
sailors,  who  had  been  captured  by  the  Corsairs  :  that  it  would  be 
perfectly  legitimate  to  a  native  of  the  country  to  purchase  his 
own  freedom,  or  redeem  from  slavery  members  of  his  family  or 
his  friends.  The  wholesale  purchase  of  male  and  female  children 
encourages  kidnapping,  raids,  and  tribal  wars,  and  perpetuates 
a  state  of  affairs,  which  we  would  gladly  see  entirely  changed. 
An  orphanage,  filled  with  children  ravished  from  their  parents, 
is  only  so  in  name. 

Now  if  the  benevolent  IMissionary  can  do  this  with  impunity, 
and  start  a  school,  and  a  factory,  and  industrial  operations,  and 
distil  liqueurs,  as  the  Monks  do  in  Algeria,  why  should  not  the 
benevolent  planter  do  the  same  }  If  he  is  not  allowed  to  do  so, 
he  will  be  undersold  in  his  business  by  his  Missionary  rival, 
who  conducts  the   adjoining  factory.      If  children,    male    and 


(     35     ) 

female,  may  be  purchased,  why  not  lads  and  lasses,  and  adults 
generally  ?  The  male  children,  when  they  come  to  the  age  of 
puberty  in  the  Missionary  schools,  will  want  wives,  and  the 
Priest  must  ask  his  friends  the  Arab  slave-dealers  to  send  in  a 
supply  of  marriageable  Negresses.  When  neighbouring  tribes 
demand  in  a  voice  of  anger  the  restitution  of  their  ravished 
children,  what  reply  is  to  be  given  to  them  ?  The  transaction 
becomes  more  horrible,  when  the  Arab  is  found  to  be  the 
go-between,  and  the  pa-nderer  to  the  Missionary  lust  to  get 
possession  of  Negro  bodies  for  the  sake  of  their  souls.  How 
the  Mahometan  must  scoff  at  the  Christian  for  his  inconsistency  ! 

When-  the  Roman  Catholic  Mission  temporarily  quitted 
Rubaga,  the  capital  of  King  Mtesa,  on  Lake  Victoria,  they 
took  with  them  several  boat-loads  of  Negro  boys,  whom  they 
had  purchased,  and  who  were  their  property.  In  the  pages  of 
the  Missions  Catholiques  of  Lyons,  appear  each  week  notices  of 
subscriptions  made  in  France  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing 
children,  and  the  name,  which  the  pious  donor  attaches  to  the 
gift  as  the  name  designed  tor  the  purchased  child,  is  generally 
that  of  a  little  girl,  showing  that  the  perilous  policy  of  purchasing 
female  slaves  is  persisted  in.  To  the  Arab  slave-dealer  it  matters 
not,  whether  a  little  girl  is  supplied  to  a  harem  or  a  Mission- 
school  ;  or  a  little  boy  sold  to  be  converted  into  a  eunuch  or 
into  an  acolyte.  It  is  a  matter  of  so  much  money.  And,  when 
these  children  grow  up  to  maturity,  they  will  abscond,  and  there 
will  be  claims  for  restitution.  It  is  fortunate  that  a  Protestant 
power  like  Germany  has  appeared  on  the  scene  of  East  Africa, 
which  is  not  likely  to  tolerate  the  purchase  of  slaves  for  any 
purpose  in  its  jurisdiction. 

Cardinal  Lavigerie,  in  his  late  address  to  Pope  Leo  XIII.  at 
Rome,  May,  1888,  took  credit  for  buying  slaves  in  Equatorial 
Africa  in  the  name  of  the  Church,  and  saving  them  from  Slavery, 
and  the  Pope  in  reply  begged  him  to  buy,  or  redeem,  as 
many  as  he  could  :  so  it  must  be  considered  as  part  of  the 
authorized  method  of  Romish  Missions ;  and  indeed,  in  the  life 
of  Friar  John  de  Monte  Corvino,  the  Romish  Missionary  in 
China  in  1298  A.D.,  he  mentions  in  a  letter,  which  has  come 
down  to  us,  that  he  bought  one  hundred  and  fifty  boys  of  from 
seven  to  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  these  he  taught  Latin  and 
Greek,  to  copy  Manuscripts,  and  chant  the  Services  of  the 
Church.  It  is  clear  that  the  Romish  system  of  evangelization 
is  built  upon  slave-purchasing,  whenever  they  find  it  possible. 

It  is  a  comfort  to  think  that  every  Protestant  Missionary 
Society  in  Africa  is  free  from  even  the  imputation  of  this  blot. 
The  Missionaries  of  the  Universities'  Mission  to  East  Africa 
write,  that  they  have  difficulty  in  providing  for  the  children  who 
flock  to  their  schools.     The  alleged  difficulty  of  getting  children 


(     36    ) 

to  come  to  the  Mission  schools  is  a  mere  snare  ;  if  regular 
attendance  at  school  of  little  Negroes,  who  know  not  what  time 
is,  is  to  be  secured  by  their  purchase,  their  bondage,  their  in- 
carceration, their  personal  chastisement,  we  say  boldly  that  we 
had  rather  let  them  remain  free  heathens  than  become  Slave- 
Christians  repeating  their  "  Ave-Maria."  . 

Another  form  of  snare,  which  tempts  the  Missionary  to  swerve 
from  the  high  beaten  road,  is  the  institution  called  "  pawning." 
It  was  explained  at  a  Missionary  Board  to  mean  this.  A  heathen 
family  spend  a  large  sum  on  the  funeral  of  their  head  :  the 
money  is  borrowed  from  a  money-lender  on  the  security  of  the 
mortgage  to  him  of  the  involuntary  services  of  one  member  of 
the  family.  A  younger  son  is  made  over,  pawned,  pledged,  to 
become  the  slave  for  life  of  the  money-lender.  It  was  suggested 
by  an  amiable  Missionary,  on  whose  health,  countenance  and 
judgment,  a  long  residence  in  Africa  had  had  a  deleterious 
effect,  that  the  Christian  should  adopt  a  modified  form  of  this 
practice,  that  the  pawning  should  be  registered,  an  account  kept 
of  the  capital  and  interest,  and  a  power  of  redemption  reserved. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  a  great  Missionary  Society, 
among  the  founders  of  which  was  Wilberforce,  could  have 
nothing  to  do  directly  or  indirectly,  openly  or  in  disguise,  now 
or  in  future,  with  any  practice,  which  implied  the  dominion  of 
one  man  over  the  person  of  another,  and  the  right  of  one  man 
to  use  the  involuntary  labour  of  another.  The  power  of  a 
Missionary  Society  is  limited,  but  it  can  prohibit  its  office- 
holders absolutely  from  contact  with  such  transactions,  can 
admonish  and  affectionately  urge  its  adherents  to  abstain  from 
them,  and  can  stand  forth  before  the  heathen  a  living  protest, 
that  the  purchase  of  slaves,  the  employment  of  slaves,  the 
mortgaging  of  the  labour  of  one  man  to  another,  is  an  abomina- 
tion before  God  and  man. 

It  is  necessary  to  speak  out  clearly,  and  call  upon  Missionary 
Societies  to  take  heed,  lest  mud  stick  to  the  skirts  of  their 
clothing.  Now  that  Africa  is  so  thoroughly  thrown  open,  and 
associations,  religious  and  secular,  are  springing  up  like  mush- 
rooms, care  must  be  taken,  lest  the  enemy  should  sow  tares.  All 
that  we  can  do  is  to  publish  to  the  Christian  world  a  bo?id  fide 
and  authentic  account  of  every  such  transaction,  and  thus  bring 
it  to  the  notice  of  the  Attorney-General,  who  is  empowered 
to  prosecute  the  purchaser,  if  a  British  subject,  in  the  High 
Court  of  Justice  ;  for  it  is  distinctly  an  offence  against  the  Act 
of  George  IV.  and  punishable  as  a  felony  in  any  Court  of  Her 
Majesty,  without  reference  to  the  venue  of  the  transaction. 

Mission-Life,  1886. 


C     37     ) 


C. — Independent  Native  Congregations  in  Yariba-Land. 

Slavery,  or  Involuntary  Labour,  is  one  of  the  disgraces  of  the 
human  race,  and  yet  it  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  institutions,  and 
one,  which  is  only  entirely  eradicated  by  the  influences  of  the 
Christian  religion  upon  modern  civilization,  which  is  itself  the 
outcome  of  Christian  influences,  however  much  Atheists  and 
Anti-Christs  may  think  or  say  to  the  contrary.  It  is  true,  as  will 
be  shown  below,  that  there  are  some  races  which  will  not  submit 
to  Slavery,  preferring  death,  just  as  there  are  some  races  of 
men  and  beasts,  and  birds,  which  cannot  be  tamed,  and  prefer 
extinction  ;  but  the  domination  of  stronger  over  weaker  races 
has  been  the  law  of  human  life,  whether  developing  into  Slavery, 
Helotry,  or  Serfage.     The  subject  to  be  discussed  is : 

I.  With  whom   alone    rests   the   power   of ,  suppressing   this 

abomination. 

II.  How  is  it  to  be  done  with  the  least  disturbance  of  the 

social  system. 
We  dare  not  say  that  Slavery  is  inconsistent  in  itself  with 
Christian  life  without  ignoring  the  direct  teaching  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament.  Smarting  with  the  sense  of  the  bondage 
in  Egypt,  Moses  in  the  twenty-second  chapter  of  his  third  book 
of  the  Law,  verse  1 1,  repeating  words  spoken  to  him  by  Jehovah 
Himself,  writes : 

If  the  priest  buy  any  soul  with  his  money,  he  shall  eat  of  the  holy  things  ; 
but  the  hired  servant  shall  not  eat  of  it. 

And  again  in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter,  verse  44: 

Of  them  (the  heathen)  ye  shall  buy  bondmen  and  bondmaids. 

And  again  verse  46  : 

Ye  shall  take  them  as  an  inheritance  for  your  children  after  you  to  inherit  as 
a  possession  :  they  shall  be  your  bondmen  for  ever. 

Down  the  whole  of  the  chequered  history  of  the  chosen  people 
to  the  date  of  the  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  Philemon,  the  status 
is  recognized  by  the  religious  law  of  the  nation.  The  dis- 
tinction betwixt  Bou\o9  and  /iii<T0wrr]v,  the  slave  and  the  hired 
labourer,  is  very  marked,  and  St.  Paul  is  not  ashamed  to  call 
himself  "the  slave  of  Christ,"  and  to  write,  that  he  has  been 
"  bought  with  a  price."  In  writing  about  Polygamy  in  the  previous 
essay,  I  argued  that  that  institution  had  died  out  under  the  in- 
fluence of  Greek  civilization,  for  no  one  can  read  Homer  and  the 
story  of  Hector  and  Andromache,  Ulysses  and  Penelope,  and  all 
the  immortal  legends  of  the  great  Grasco-Latin  races,  even  their 


(     38     ) 

mythology,  without  recognizing  that  INIonogamy,  accompanied 
by  Concubinage  and  Divorce,  were  deeply  engrained  in  the 
common  law  of  the  people.  In  no  passage  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  Polygamy  even  hinted  at,  while  the  existence  of  Slavery 
is  obvious  in  the  history  of  the  period.  We  cannot,  therefore, 
brush  it  aside,  and  say  that  God's  written  law  forbids  it.  St.  Paul, 
when  he  enumerated  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  Romans  all 
the  frightful  iniquities  of  the  Gentiles,  makes  no  allusion  to 
Polygamy,  because  it  did  not  exist,  or  to  Slavery,  because  he  did 
not  with  his  knowledge  of  the  Old  Testament  recognize  it  as 
a  sin,  though  no  doubt  a  status  deeply  to  be  deplored.  St.  Paul 
was  a  wise  man,  neither  an  enthusiast,  nor  a  fanatic :  he  incul- 
cated obedience  to  a  tyrant  like  Nero,  and  founded  no  Total 
Abstinence,  or  Abolitionist  Societies ;  he  forbade  no  meats  or 
drinks,  and  laid  down  no  laws  of  celibacy. 

Nor  does  the  history  of  modern  time  since  the  introduction 
of  Christianity  help  us.  It  is  only  within  the  memory  of  the 
living  generations,  that  Slavery  has  ceased  to  be  tolerated  by 
any  Christian  nation,  or  Christian  State  ;  its  cloven  foot  still 
presses  the  soil  of  Europe  in  Turkey;  Europeans  and  Americans 
are  reported  to  hold  slaves  in  countries  where  that  institution 
still  flourishes.  Even  in  countries  like  Egypt  under  the  temporary 
protectorate  of  Great  Britain,  it  still  exists.  In  countries  like 
the  Transvaal  Republic,  if  the  name  is  not  pronounced,  the 
essence  of  the  evil  exists.  It  appears  to  be  taking  a  new  life 
in  the  shape  of  "Men  Stealing"  in  the  South  Seas  by  the 
British  Colonists  in  Queensland  and  Fiji,  and  of  "fictitious 
service-contracts  "  according  to  the  practice  of  the  French  planter 
in  the  Komoro  Islands,  and  the  Reunion. 

More  than  this,  the  skirts  of  the  garments  of  the  Ministers 
of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  England,  and  the  Congregational 
Church  of  England,  and  (Heaven  help  the  mark  !)  the  Society 
of  Friends,  are  not  free  from  this  unhappy  stain.  In  Mission- 
Life,   1883,  I  published  the  whole  story. 

It  transpired  that  the  domestics  of  the  ordained  missionary 
were  slaves,  being  hired  from  a  slave-owner,  who  had  the  power 
to  chastise  them,  and  separate  husband  from  wife,  and  parent 
from  child.  It  transpired  also  that  the  native  pastors  of  all 
denominations  were  the  stoutest  champions  of  this  evil  in- 
stitution. I,  and  the  late  Sir  Bartle  Frere,  in  1882  (it  was 
almost  his  last  appearance  in  public),  tried  to  persuade  the 
S.P.C.K.  to  withhold  a  grant  to  this  college,  but  in  vain.  I 
tried  in  vain  (August  14,  1883)  to  persuade  the  S.P.G.  to  forbid 
the  practice  in  its  missions.  I  was  met  by  the  argument  of  the 
Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  Philemon.  Soon  after  came  the  French 
invasion  of  Madagascar,  and  it  was  hoped  that  the  Hova  natives, 
struggling  for  their  own  liberty,  would  give  freedom  to  their 


(     39    ) 

slaves:  but  it  is  not  the  case.  IVIr.  Cousins,  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  appeared  in  1887  in  the  Committee  of  the 
Bible  Society,  and  I  asked  him  categorically  in  an  assembly 
composed  of  men  of  every  Protestant  denomination,  whether 
the  scandal  still  continued,  and  he  replied  that  it  did.  One 
member  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  Mr.  Joseph  Sewell,  had  the 
hardihood  in  a  pamphlet  published  in  London,  1876  (Elliot 
Stock,  Paternoster  Row),  to  denounce  the  custom,  but  he  stood 
alone.  I  fear  rnuch  that  even  to  this  day  ordained  ministers  of 
the  Church  of  England  give  their  countenance  to  Slavery,  in 
their  own  families.     I  shall  be  glad  to  be  contradicted. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Missionaries  go  a  step  further.  In  Mission- 
Life,  J  886,  I  showed,  by  quotations  from  the  printed  reports 
of  the  African  missionaries,  published  in  the  Missions 
Catholiques,  how  they  deliberately  purchased  children,  boys 
and  girls  ;  how  sums  were  subscribed  by  devout  children  in 
France  to  purchase  a  little  boy,  to  be  named  "  Pierre,"  or  a  little 
girl,  to  be  named  '*  Marie."  They  call  it  "  Redemption."  I 
know  what  redemption  of  a  slave  means  by  the  sums  collected 
to  rescue  poor  Christians  from  the  Barbary  pirates  ;  I  can 
imagine  now  an  African  paying  a  sum  to  redeem  his  wife,  or 
brother,  or  relative.  I  read  in  the  third  Book  of  Moses, 
chapter  twenty-five,  verse  48  : 

After  that  he  have  been  sold,  he  may  be  redeemed  again  :  one  of  his 
brethren  may  redeem  him. 

But  the  word  "  redeem"  cannot  apply  to  the  deliberate  purchase 
by  a  Frenchman  of  an  African  child.  Livingstone  tells  us  in  his 
"  Missionary  Travels,"  p.  92  : 

I  have  never  known  an  instance  in  Africa  of  a  parent  selling  his  own  offspring. 
The  children  are  first  kidnapped,  and  then  sold  to  the  priests. 

In  the  Missions  Catholiques,  1883,  p.  54,  I  read: 

A  Thopital  de  Zanzibar  est  annexee  une  ecole  pour  les  petites  negresses,  que 
Ton  rachete,  ou  que  Ton  enleve  des  marchands  des  esclaves. 

And  again,  1880,  p.  220: 

Les  esclaves  achetes  a  bas  prix. 

I  think  that  I  can  say  safely,  that  no  Protestant  missionary  of 
any  Society  would  lend  himself  to  such  transactions.  But  there 
is  a  tendency  to  error  on  the  other  side.  A  missionary  can  have 
no  right  to  convert  his  station  into  a  refuge  for  runaway  slaves,  or 
to  preach  abolitionist  doctrines.  This  practice  has  been  expressly 
forbidden  to  the  missionaries  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 
I  regret  to  read  in  the  report  of  the  Anti-Slavery  Society  (of 
the  Committee  of  which  I  am  a  member)  a  letter  by  a  young 


(     40     ) 

Missionary  of  very  slight  experience  and  extreme  abolitionist 
views,  which  cannot  but  be  very  injurious  to  the  quiet  and 
peaceful  work  of  the  evangelist.  St.  Paul's  example  is  distinctly 
opposed  to  such  conduct.  It  must  indeed  be  a  painful  sight 
to  a  missionary  to  witness  the  horror  of  the  Slave  trade,  and 
of  Slavery,  and  to  be  unable  to  protect  runaway  slaves  ;  but 
a  little  reflection  will  convince  him,  that  it  is  not  his  duty  to 
interfere,  and  that  he  has  not  the  lawful  authority  or  requisite 
power  to  do  it  efficiently,  and  that  he  is  forbidden  by  those,  who 
send  him  out,  to  interfere,  and  that  the  Consuls  of  Her  Majesty 
are  as  unable  as  himself,  and  are  as  peremptorily  forbidden  as 
himself,  to  meddle  in  matters  beyond  their  jurisdiction. 

I  now  proceed  to  notice  the  good  side  of  Slavery  in  certain 
social  conditions  of  the  human  race.  The  great  dictionary  of 
the  Latin  language  tells  us  that  the  word  "  Servus "  is  thus 
derived.  "  Servus  dictus  a  servando,  quia  Imperatores  captivos 
"  vendere,  et  per  hoc  servare,  nee  occidere  solent." 

A  chief  in  Central  Africa  (Valdez,  vol.  ii.  p.  201)  remarked  that  it  was 
customary  for  him  to  sell  as  slaves  those  who  commit  murder  or  robbery,  or 
other  crimes,  and  that,  if  slavery  were  put  a  stop  to,  what  could  he  do  with 
them,  but  put  them  to  death?  Another  chief  [ibid.  vol.  ii.  p.  177)  remarked, 
that,  he  was  sorry  that  the  Portuguese  were  not  inclined  to  countenance  the 
slave  trade,  as  he  thought  it  better  to  sell  than  to  put  them  to  death. 

Another  writer  (Monteiro,  vol.  ii.  p.  20),  while  expressing 
himself  strongly  against  slavery,  remarks  that 

Despite  the  declamations  of  sensitive  minds,  as  long  as  the  barbarity  of 
Africa  remains,  the  barter  of  slaves  will  always  be  considered  by  philanthropists, 
as  the  only  palliation  to  the  ferocity  of  the  laws  that  govern  these  nations. 

It  has  occurred  to  some  minds,  that  the  premature  abolition 
of  slavery  by  force  may  lead  to  the  merciless  slaughter  of 
prisoners,  or  cannibalism ;  the  captives,  being  useless  as  an 
article  of  trade,  must  be  got  rid  of.  A  New  Guinea  chief, 
hearing  of  the  vast  slaughter  in  the  Franco-German  campaign, 
remarked  that  the  conquerors  must  have  had  an  abundant  supply 
of  meat  with  so  many  bodies.  On  being  informed,  that  they 
were  not  used  for  that  purpose,  his  reply  was,  "  Why  kill  them 
"  then  }     They  would  be  valuable  if  sold." 

We  know  how  in  India  there  were  formerly  slave-markets, 
and  history  tells  us  how  slaves,  like  Joseph,  have  received  the 
highest  offices  of  the  State ;  but  Africa  is  full  of  surprises,  and 
I  read  (Wilson,  "  West  Africa,"  p.  179)  how  slaves,  who  con- 
ducted themselves  well,  became  theinselvcs  mvners  of  slaves.  The 
writer  knew  several  cases,  where  slaves  owned  a  larger  number 
of  bondmen  thaii  their  mvn  masters. 

Livingstone  ("Zambesi,"  p.  49)  tells  a  most  extraordinary 
story : 

A  man,  who  was  a  pilot,  told  me,  that  he  liad  voluntarily  sold  himself  into 


(     41     ) 

slavery  ;  he  was  all  alone  in  the  world  and  sold  himself  to  a  kind  master.  He 
got  three  thirty-yard  pieces  of  cotton  for  himself,  and  immediately  bought 
a  man,  woman,  and  child  for  two  of  the  pieces,  and  had  one  left.  He  after- 
wards bought  more  slaves,  and  had  at  last  enough  to  make  up  a  large  caravan 
with  his  own  slaves. 

In  the  third  book  of  Moses,  chap.  xxv.  verse  47,  I  read  : 

If  thy  brother  wax  poor,  and  sell  himself  unto  the  stranger  or  sojourner  by 
thee. 

One  thing  is  clear,  that  Slavery  was  deemed  only  a  misfortune, 
and  that  the  holding  of  a  slave  was  a  privilege  of  wealth  ;  and 
it  is  only  in  later  ages,  and  more  enlightened  communities,  that 
it  has  been  discovered  to  be  a  frightful  moral  delinquency,  to 
be  gradually  stamped  out. 

For  it  leads  to  frightful  evils,  and  has  a  dark  side.  Slaves 
were  slaughtered  to  share  the  graves  of  their  masters,  they 
were  tortured,  cruelly  chastised,  starved,  buried  alive,  carved 
into  eunuchs,  polluted  into  concubines  ;  all  the  social  relations 
violated,  wives  torn  away  from  their  husbands,  children  from 
their  parents:  the  status  was  frightful  among  the  heathen,  still 
more  frightful  among  the  Mahometans,  and  most  frightful 
among  the  Christians  in  America.  Livingstone  remarks  ("  Last 
Journals,"  vol.  i.  p.  9) : 

The  lot  of  the  slave  does  not  improve  with  the  general  progress  of  civilization. 
While  no  great  disparity  of  rank  exists,  his  energies  are  little  tasked  ;  but  when 
society  advances,  the  slave's  lot  grows  harder  ;  the  distance  betwixt  master  and 
slave  increases,  as  the  lust  of  gain  is  developed  ;  hence  one  can  have  no  hope 
for  improvement  in  a  slave's  condition,  unless  the  master  returns  to  or  remains 
in  barbarism. 

This  shows,  that  the  very  existence  of  Slavery  is  incompatible 
with  civilization,  and  therefore  with  Christianity. 

Livingstone  foresaw  that  the  improvement  of  Africa  by  the 
introduction  of  agricultural  plantations  will  make  the  lot  of  the 
poor  slave  worse ;  but  it  is  a  comfort  to  reflect  that  escape 
is  always  possible  in  Africa.  Already  the  rumour  of  plantations 
in  Eastern  Equatorial  Africa  is  talked  of  by  German  speculators  ; 
and  it  is  even  asserted,  that  a  black  man  was  only  created  to 
work,  and  must  be  made  to  work,  and  that  the  Missionaries 
should  have  industrial  schools  to  teach  them  how  to  work. 
The  French  "Engag^e"  system  is  merely  Slavery  in  disguise, 
and  by  treachery ;  the  practice  of  the  planters  in  Queensland 
and  Fiji  to  employ  men  to  kidnap  labourers,  is  Slavery  by 
violence. 

One  of  the  saddest  consequences  of  Slavery  is,  that  it  hardens 
the  heart  of  the  slave-owner,  and  the  slave-holding  community. 
They  forget  that  the  body  of  man  is  in  the  image  of  God, 
and  may  possibly  become  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
They  talk  of  it   as  black  ivory  or  cattle ;  they  treat  the  slave 


(     42     ) 

not  as  a  fellow-creature   but  a   beast,      Livingstone   remarked 
("  Zambesi,"  p.  103) : 

That  custom  has  made  the  heart  of  a  certain  Spanish  priest  so  callous,  that 
he  coldly  told  a  poor  man,  that  his  kidnapped  daughter  could  not  be  restored 
to  him. 

Consul  Macleod  of  Mozambik  in  East  Africa,  in  his  book, 
i860,  vol.  i.  p.  276,  mentions  the  peculiar  aggravation  of  the 
form  of  Slavery  tolerated  in  those  territories,  which  are  claimed 
now  by  Portugal,  as  being  within  her  sphere  of  influence : 

To  keep  the  slave  in  subjection  every  opportunity  is  taken  to  destroy  all 
natural  affection.  The  son  is  made  to  flog  the  mother :  the  brother  the  sister  : 
the  father  has  to  flog  his  own  daughter  and  his  wife.  Women  are  made  to  flog, 
and  under  circumstances  too  revolting  to  be  told  :  if  two  parties  fall  in  love 
•with  each  other,  they  are  made  to  flog  each  other. 

It  is  this  callous  state  of  mind,  which  leads  some  of  our  own 
nation  to  quote  Scripture  in  support  of  Slavery.  In  past  ages  I 
read  how  Roman  ladies  used  to  flog  their  female  slaves  with  iron 
whips.  Travellers  to  Rome  are  shown  the  small  tank  on  the 
Palatine  Hill,  full  of  fish,  into  which  slaves  of  the  Emperors 
were  thrown  as  a  punishment,  I  read  how  slaves  were  left  to 
die  on  the  march,  or  be  devoured  by  wild  beasts,  or  were  killed 
by  the  slave-owner  in  a  moment  of  anger.  Unfortunately  the 
African  has  got  the  idea  in  his  head  of  property  being  possible 
in  a  man.  A  chief  offered  Livingstone  a  slave  to  look  after  his 
goats,  but  was  unwilling  to  give  him  a  goat.  I  read  how  a 
man  sold  his  young  and  good-looking  wife,  because  she  was 
unfaithful ;  this  inspired  all  the  other  wives  with  fear.  I  must 
remark  that  King  Mtesa,  the  friend  of  Christian  Missions,  sent 
his  favourite  wife  to  be  killed.  Colonel  Grant  saw  her  following 
the  executioner  to  the  place  of  execution  ;  so  perhaps  it  is 
better  to  be  a  slave  than  killed. 

So  frightfully  complicated  is  the  subject,  that  I  ask  the 
thorough-going  abolitionist,  how  he  is  going  to  dispose  of  the 
slaves,  to  v/hom  he  gives  liberty,  IMr,  Felkin,  in  his  "  U-Ganda," 
(vol,  ii.  p.  299),  tells  us  how  the  Mudir  of  Kordofan  took  credit 
for  depriving  a  Greek  Christian  merchant  of  all  the  slaves, 
which  he  was  conveying  to  the  Nile,  and  ordered  the  boys  to 
be  turned  into  soldiers,  and  the  women  to  he  then  and  there  married, 
as  the  only  way  of  disposing  of  them.  We  read  in  the  Letters 
of  General  Gordon,  by  Dr.  Hill,  that  he  distributed  the  female 
slaves,  whom  he  released,  among  his  Egyptian  soldiery  as  wives 
on  the  march.  The  poor  creatures  were  already  wives  and 
mothers  torn  from  their  homes.  The  release  seems  worse  than 
the  captivity. 

It  is  a  comfort  to  think  that  even  in  Africa  some  races  are 
made  of  stuff'  that  will  not  bend  to  Slavery,  Livingstone  tells 
us  ("  Zambesi,"  p.  597) : 


(     43     ) 

That  no  Kruman  or  Zulu,  or  in  fact  any  of  the  Kafir  tribes,  can  l>e  con- 
verted into  slaves.  Neither  in  Kafir-land  nor  Be-Chuana-land  has  Slavery  ever 
existed.  And  it  is  false  that  Slavery  is  only  looked  upon  by  the  African  as  an 
ordinary  incident  of  life. 

Livingstone,  in  his  "Last  Journals"  (vol.  ii.  p.  19),  tells  us 
How  he  saw  relatives  bring  three  goats  to  redeem  a  sick  boy  who  was 
emaciated.  The  boy  shed  tears,  when  he  saw  his  grandmother,  and  his  father 
shed  tears  also,  when  the  goats  were  rejected.  "So  I  returned,  and  considered 
"  all  the  oppression,  that  was  done  under  the  sun,  and  behold  the  tears  of  the 
"  oppressed,  and  they  had  no  .comforter  "  (Eccl.  iv.  i). 

Beltrame,  a  Roman  Catholic  Missionary  in  the  Galla  country 
("  Senaar  and  Shan  Galla,"  vol.  ii.  p.  131),  tells  us 

That  a  poor  woman  came  down  from  the  hills  to  claim  justice  for  the  murder 
of  her  husband,  and  the  Turkish  ruler  ordered  her  at  once  to  be  sold  as  a  slave. 

He  was  an  officer  of  the  Khedive.  A  Missionary,  on  the 
authority  of  Sir  John  Kirk,  reported,  in  1879,  how  the  Abb6 
de  Baize,  a  French  scientific  traveller,  who  died  soon  after,  sold 
two  women  into  captivity,  who  had  joined  his  camp  for  the  sake 
of  the  protection  of  a  European. 

I  have  given  some  of  these  cases  (always  quoting  my  autho- 
rity) that  those,  who  attempt  to  rush  into  the  subject  and  issue 
general  orders  of  a  vague  kind,  may  reflect  upon  the  vastness 
of  the  problem,  and  may  not  suppose,  that  I  minimise  the  evil 
or  am  indifferent  to  it. 

I  now  inquire  how  the  evil  is  to  be  dealt  with  in  a  country, 
where  the  governors  are  Christians,  or  where  the  slave-owners 
are  (nominally)  Christian,  Let  us  consider  what  was  done  in 
British  Lidia.  Sir  Bartle  Frere,  in  an  article  in  the  Fortnightly 
Review,  described  how  during  his  period  of  service  the  institution 
of  Slavery,  which  had  been  the  cotnmon  law  of  British  India, 
died  away,  and  is  now  extinct.  I  was  myself  witness  of  the 
proceeding.  In  1843  a  law  was  passed  of  a  very  few  clauses. 
By  one  any  offence  was  equally  an  offence,  where  the  sufferer 
was  alleged  to  be  a  slave  ;  by  the  other  every  right  was  equally 
a  right,  where  the  person  claiming  it  was  alleged  to  be  a  slave. 
Under  the  first  provision  incarceration  or  assault  became 
punishable  by  a  magistrate ;  by  the  second  a  so-called  slave  could 
always  demand  his  freedom,  and  it  was  granted.  In  the  course 
of  a  generation  the  domestic  institution  has  died  out.  Had  the 
abolitionists  had  their  way,  and  a  proclamation  been  issued  ab- 
olishing Slavery  under  penalties,  the  streets  would  have  been  filled 
with  aged  and  starving  slaves  turned  out  of  their  owners'  homes, 
and  there  would  have  been  a  commotion  all  over  India.  When  it  is 
asserted,  that  Mahometanism  cannot  exist  without  Slavery,  and 
that  it  would  create  a  religious  war  to  abolish  the  institution  in 
Turkey,  it  is  replied,  that  in  British  India  there  are  fifty  million 
Mahometans,  and  not  one  possesses  a  slave.  In  Tunisia  the  Bey 
abolished  Slavery,  and  in  Algeria  the  French  stamped  it  out. 


■    (     44     ) 

A  warning  voice  has  come  from  the  Niger :  some  of  the  neo- 
Christian  congregations,  such  as  Bonny,  consist  chiefly  of  Slaves  : 
to  spread  among  them  prematurely  abolitionist  doctrines,  before 
the  Civil  law  of  the  country  has  abolished  the  status,  is  to  bring  on 
a  servile  war,  a  terrible  loss  of  life  and  outrages  on  the  part  of 
the  slave-owner,  and  slaves.  The  self-willed  abolitionist-fanatic, 
who  has  but  one  idea,  cares  nought  for  this.  Christian  States- 
men await  the  opportunity  to  do  permanent  good :  the  Church 
should  use  moral  weapons  only,  following  the  example  of  St. 
Paul. 

But  how  should  a  Missionary  Society  act  when  it  is  represented 
that  members  of  the  Church  founded  by  the  Society  held  slaves  ? 
The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  stated  in  the  House  of  Lords  on 
April  12,  1883,  and  stated  correctly,  that  in  1879  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  laid  down  a  rule,  that  any  of  the  agents  of 
the  Society  who  held  slaves  should  ipso  facto  cease  to  be  such 
agents,  and  this  rule  was  enforced.  I  have  above  stated  how  I 
failed  to  induce  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel 
to  pass  the  same  rule  for  their  Mission  in  Madagascar.  The 
question  has  now  arisen  whether  INlissionary  Societies  ought  not 
to  go  further,  and  adopt  the  policy  of  the  extreme  Abolitionist 
Party,  "  Fiat  justitia,  ruat  caelum." 

In  a  newspaper  published  on  the  West  Coast  of  Africa 
appeared  the  following  lines  in  1883  : 

Was  this  another  instance  of  slave-holding  practices  by  Sierra  I.eone  men, 
therefore  British  subjects,  professing  Christianity?  We  fear  it  was,  because  we 
have  too  much  reason  to  know  that  not  a  few  Sierra  L'eone  men,  educated  in 
mission  schools,  do  not  hesitate,  when  in  heathen  trading  towns,  to  buy  and 
hold  slaves. 

Now,  if  these  men  were  British  subjects,  we  may  safely  leave 
the  matter  to  the  Attorney-General  of  the  Colony,  as  it  is  a 
felony  for  a  British  subject  to  sell  or  buy  slaves  anywhere,  and 
punishable  in  the  High  Court  of  Justice  in  London. 

In  a  letter  written  by  "a  native  "  to  the  Lagos  Times,  dated 
April  9,  1883,  I  find  the  following  startling  information  as  to 
the  existence  of  slave-holding,  slave-buying,  slave-breeding, 
and  ill-usage  by  members  of  the  native  Churches  in  independent 
Yariba-land,  both  Episcopal  and  Wesleyan,  and  there  is  good 
reason  to  know,  that  the  assertions  are  true : 

This  evil  thing  did  not  exist  in  the  Yariba  Church  in  the  very  early  days  of 
the  missions  planted  in  the  country  ;  it  seems  to  have  been  then  tabooed,  and 
faithful  native  Christian  teachers  assisted  them  to  hold  their  people  up  to  it. 
But  after  a  time  and  with  the  acquisition  of  money,  a  desire  was  conceived  by 
members  to  own,  as  of  old  in  heathenism,  property  in  their  fellow-man,  and 
gradually  obeyed  until  it  has  become  a  general  practice  from  which  only  the 
want  of  money  to  make  purchases  keeps  converts.  Liberated  African  Christians 
from  Sierra  Leone  and  elsewhere  shared  in  the  desire  and  practice.  To  the 
credit  of  the  members  of  the  Wesleyan  Church  at  Abeokuia  it  is  to  be  said,  that 


(    45     ) 

they  were  the  last  of  the  Christians  there  to  adopt  the  practice.  An  influential 
party  in  their  community,  led  by  an  able  native  agent,  for  a  long  time  stood 
bravely  and  firmly  against  its  introduction,  till  overborne  by  the  weight  and 
persistence  of  the  opposition  they  encountered,  when  a  concession  was  made  to 
members  of  the  Church  to  buy  slaves,  but  not  to  sell  them.  But,  as  was  said  then 
by  one  of  those  who  had  stood  against  it,  the  concession  to  buy  was  equal  to  a 
concession  to  sell.  He  also  remarked  that  this  would  prove,  as  it  has  proved, 
the  ruin  of  Christianity  in  the  country.  Eventually,  those  who  were  opposed  to  the 
introduction  of  the  jjractice,  fell  into  it  themselves,  with  those  who  were  originally 
in  favour  of  it  ;  and  now  there,  as  in  other  parts  of  the  Yariba  Mission,  in  places 
not  under  British  rule,  slave-holding  is  a  general  practice  ;  an  exception  is  not 
known.  Christians  buy  slaves,  breed  slaves,  sell  slaves,  own  fellow-believers 
as  slaves,  and  sometimes  sell  baptized  fellow-Christians,  their  slaves,  to  heathens 
and  Mahometans,  a  thing  that  may  not  be  found  in  Mahometanism  ;  separate 
slave  children  from  slave  parents  for  the  market ;  are  often  harder  upon  their 
slaves  than  heathen  slave-owners  are,  heathens  themselves  being  witnesses  ;  are 
sometimes  most  unwilling  to  allow  their  slaves  to  buy  their  freedom,  even  though 
they  be  Christians  like  themselves,  and  these  may,  if  they  be  women,  have  been 
made  concubines  or  secondary  wives  of  and  have  borne  their  masters  children  ; 
and  would  place  most  exorbitant  prices  upon  them,  where  heathens  would  be 
content  with  an  almost  nominal  sum  ;  would  often  demand  from  their  slaves, 
even  from  poor  women  working  for  the  support  of  themselves  and  their  children, 
the  payment  annually  of  four  or  five  bags  of  cowries,  which  value  from  about 
forty  to  fifty  shillings,  as  interest  on  purchase  money,  where  a  heathen  master  is 
content  to  have  only  one  bag  ;  are  most  unwilling  to  part  with  the  system  and  have 
persecuted  for  it  and  been  found  ready  and  willing  to  invite  the  aid  of  heathens 
to  the  work  of  persecution.  There  is  a  mania  everywhere  in  the  Christian 
community  for  slave  acquisition,  which  had  seized  pastors,  catechists,  and  other 
agents  also.  A  man's  importance  is  measured  by  the  number  of  slaves  he 
possesses.  And  as  amongst  heathens,  so  among  professed  Christians,  Slavery 
feeds  Polygamy,  and  Christians  may  be  found,  to  whom  much  respect  is  con- 
ceded by  the  Church,  whose  harems  are  more  numerous  than  those  of  many  a 
heathen  on  account  of  the  larger  number  of  wives.  Slavery  in  the  Churches 
has  destroyed  the  brotherhood  of  Christians,  since  it  prevents  an  equality  of 
standing  in  the  Church  ;  and  this  in  a  community  where  class  distinction  should 
not  be  known  I  The  cruelty  of  some  Christian  slave-owners,  even  of  women, 
has  been  known  to  end  in  the  lives  of  their  slaves.  Is  this  Christianity?  Is 
this  the  Christianity  that  we  look  forward  to  for  the  conversion  of  Africa  from 
heathenism  ?     And  where,  beyond  British  territory,  is  it  higher  or  better  ? 

Now  the  question  which  arises,  and  which  I  submit  for  con- 
sideration, is,  What  can  a  Missionary  Society  do  to  check  such 
evils  ?  The  state  of  things  described  is  not  within  British 
territory,  and  therefore  the  State  cannot  interfere.  A  Lay 
Committee  of  a  Society  cannot  interfere  with  the  ecclesiastical 
discipline  of  a  native  Church:  that  is  the  prerogative  of  the  Bishop. 
Nor  could,  under  any  circumstances,  conditions  be  attached  to 
baptism,  which  are  not  supported  by  the  authority  of  the  New 
Testament.  Polygamists  may  be  refused  baptism,  because  they 
are  notoriously  living  in  a  sin  against  the  words  of  our  Lord, 
"  Male  and  female  created  He  them,"  and  the  universal  custom 
of  the  Church  from  the  earliest  ages  ;  but  Slavery  has  never  been 
placed  under  the  ban  of  Christianity.  In  some  Churches  total 
abstinence  from  spirituous  liquors  has  been  made  the  condition 


(    46     ) 

of  Church  membership.      Against    all   such  narrowing   of   the 
great  invitation,  "Repent  and  be  baptized,"  I  must  protest. 

All  that  a  Society  can  do  is  to  address  a  letter  to  these 
Churches,  reminding  them  of  the  great  example  set  to  them 
by  the  British  nation,  to  whom  they  owe  the  suppression  of  the 
foreign  Slave  trade  and  their  knowledge  .of  the  Gospel,  and 
exhorting  them  to  adopt  the  four  following  principles : 

I.  Never  to  sell  or  buy  a  slave. 

II.  If  their  circumstances  permit  them,  at  once  to  free  their 
slaves. 

III.  If  their  circumstances  do  not  permit  them,  they  are  urged 
to  treat  their  slaves  as  brothers,  never  to  raise  the  hand  against 
them,  and  respect  the  chastity  of  the  female  slaves. 

IV.  Let  all  children  born  henceforth  be  born  free.  Let  them 
do  this  for  Christ's  sake,  who  bought  them. 

It  appears  to  me  that  anything  beyond  this  will  stultify  itself. 
The  conscience  of  individuals  should  be  appealed  to  ;  the 
pastors  should  enforce  the  Christian  duty  from  the  pulpit.  We 
must  recollect,  that  the  West  African  Church  is  a  weak  native 
Church  in  the  midst  of  a  strong  heathendom :  it  would  be 
tantamount  to  breaking  up  the  Church  to  excommunicate 
all  slave-holders.  And  this  was  not  the  way,  in  which  St.  Paul 
dealt  with  the  early  Church.  He  was  very  gentle  with  their 
errors  and  backslidings.  These  Churches  are  independent; 
support  their  own  pastors ;  hold  their  own  synods,  and  are  not 
to  be  dictated  to  by  foreigners,  however  well  intentioned.  If 
they  transferred  their  slaves  to  their  heathen  relations  by  real  or 
fictitious  contracts,  it  is  not  clear  what  would  be  the  gain  to  the 
slaves.  They  might  go  through  the  form  of  manumission,  and 
the  slaves  might  next  day  be  seized  by  the  heathen  chiefs  and 
appropriated.     The  problem  is  one  difficult  to  solve. 

The  Chiaxhman,  1887  (with  additions,  1888). 


Suggested  Letter  from  a  Missionary  Society  to  the  Individual 
Members  of  the  African  Churches. 

Dear  Brother  in  Christ. — We  approach  you  individually  in  a  spirit  of 
Christian  love  upon  a  subject  which  lies  very  near  our  hearts.  We  claim  no 
authority,  but  we  ask  you  to  suffer  the  word  of  exhortation.  In  all  humility 
we  remind  you,  that  to  our  nation  you  owe  your  freedom  from  the  terrible 
cruelty  of  the  Foreign  Slave  Trade,  that  to  British  Government  you  owe  your 
independence  and  your  prosperity,  and  more  than  all  things,  to  Missionary 
Societies  you  owe  your  knowledge  of  Christ,  which  surpasses  in  value  all  other 
possessions.  If  any  one  had  a  claim  upon  you,  it  is  the  Society,  which  has 
been,  as  it  were,  a  Nursing  Mother  to  your  Infant  Church. 


(     47     ) 

Nor  do  we  blame  you  for  the  past ;  if  you  have  erred,  it  is  in  ignorance, 
and  from  the  proneness  to  particular  errors,  to  which  your  nation  is  exposed. 
We  allude  to  Slavery  and  Polygamy. 

The  first  principle  of  our  common  religions,  of  yours  and  of  ours,  is  the 
Brotherhood  of  Mankind,  and  their  descent  from  one  Man  and  one  Woman, 
both  created  in  the  image  of  God.  Can  it  be  right  therefore  to  hold  your 
brother  of  the  same  race,  colour,  and  language,  in  bondage,  to  sell  and  buy  him 
like  the  beasts  that  have  no  soul,  and  perish,  to  abuse  your  powers  by  ill-usage  of 
the  men,  and  unlawful  intercourse  with  the  women  ?  In  the  day  of  Judgment 
what  answer  will  you  have  to  give,  for  you  were  indeed  your  brother's  keeper? 
Can  you  be  said  in  any  way  to  have  known  Christ,  when  you  do  such  things  ? 
Can  you  kneel  at  the  Lord's  table,  when  you  have  such  grievous  sins  unrepented 
of,  and  unabandoned  ? 

In  the  spirit  of  love  we  exhort  thee,  as  a  dear  and  beloved  brother  : 

I.  Never  to  sell  or  buy  a  slave. 

II.  If  your  circumstances  permit  you,  at  once  set  free  your  slaves.  Doit 
for  the  love  of  the  Lord  who  bought  you,  and  He  will  repay  you.  For  your 
sakes  he  assumed  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  died  for  you.  He  set  you  free 
from  the  bondage  of  sin. 

III.  If  your  circumstances  are  such,  that  you  are  unable  to  do  so,  treat  your 
slave  as  a  brother  ;  lift  not  your  hand  against  him  ;  use  no  threatenings  ; 
i-espect  the  chastity  of  your  female  slaves,  and  be  to  them  as  a  father,  and  the 
Lord  will  reward  you  according  to  the  measure  of  your  good  will. 

IV.  Let  all  children  born  of  your  slaves  be  free.  Remember  that  children 
are  an  heritage  of  the  Lord.  It  is  He  that  fashioned  and  formed  them  in  the 
womb,  and  gave  them  the  blessing  of  life  in  this  world,  and  hope  of  eternal 
life  in  the  next!  Can  you  as  a  Christian  withhold  from  these  little  ones  the 
blessing  of  liberty?     Let  the  thought  of  your  own  children  soften  your  heart  ! 

For  your  own  soul's  sake  let  your  bondsmen  be  set  free,  for  remember,  that 
it  was  the  Lord  your  God  who  through  the  agency  of  the  British  nation  brought 
you  and  your  family  and  your  nation  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  Take  heed 
lest  you  abuse  the  kindness  of  the  Lord,  and  worse  things  come  upon  you. 

The  second  principle  of  the  new  Christian  life,  which  is,  indeed,  equal  to  the 
first,  is  the  equality  of  woman  to  man,  the  sharer  of  the  same  covenant,  the 
inheritor  of  the  same  blessings,  subject  to  the  same  infirmities,  and  through  the 
blood  of  Christ,  who  died  for  all,  the  humble  claimant  for  the  same  Salvation. 
And  can  a  Christian  man,  who  has  indeed  accepted  Christ,  and  understood  his 
precious  promises,  convert  the  woman,  who  was  created  to  be  the  honoured 
companion,  adviser,  and  the  sustainer  of  man,  into  a  mere  object  for  debased 
sensual  passions?  We  have  the  words  of  our  blessed  Lord:  "Male  and 
female  created  He  them."  "They  twain  shall  be  one  flesh."  It  was  of  a 
woman,  without  the  agency  of  Man,  that  our  Lord  himself  was  born,  being 
conceived  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Women  were  His  holy  companions  in  His  earthly 
Pilgrimage,  the  last  at  the  Cross  and  the  first  at  the  Sepulchre.  No  nation 
has  ever  risen  to  power  and  greatness,  where  women  have  been  undervalued. 
Over  the  great  Kingdom,  which  protects  your  nation,  there  reigns  in  the  love 
of  her  subjects  a  woman. 

We  beseech  you,  brother,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  who  bought  you,  be 
content  with  one  wife,  and  free  yourself  from  the  deadly  sin  of  Polygamy,  in 
whatever  form  it  appears  among  you.  We  only  ask  you  to  do  what  we  do 
ourselves. 


(    49    ) 


III. 
ISLAM. 


If  the  reader  expects  to  find  in  this  review  a  blind  and  whole- 
sale abuse  of  Mahomet  and  his  doctrines,  and  an  uncritical 
disregard  of  the  great  fact,  that  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
millions  at  this  moment  adhere  to  this  persuasion,  he  is  mis- 
taken. The  subject  is  a  very  solemn  one,  and  should  be  treated 
with  solemnity.  The  writer  has  lived  a  quarter  of  a  century  in 
intimate  acquaintance  with  Mahometans.  The  servants,  who 
cooked  his  dinner,  and  waited  at  his  table ;  the  coachman,  who 
drove  his  carriage ;  the  horsemen,  who  were  his  companions  in 
his  rides  ;  many  of  the.  clerks  and  officials,  who  engrossed  his 
orders  and  transacted  his  business;  the  judges  of  first  instance, 
who  presided  in  the  Civil  Courts ;  the  Collectors  of  the  State- 
Revenue  ;  and  the  superintendents  of  the  police-stations  were, 
in  a  very  large  number,  followers  of  Islam,  intermixed  with  an 
equal  number  of  Hindus  ;  and  yet  they  were  upright,  trust- 
worthy, and  esteemed,  full  of  affectionate  interest,  and  entirely 
devoid  of  fanaticism.  The  Mahometan  nobleman,  or  prince, 
is  a  born  gentleman,  stately  in  his  bearing,  courteous  in  his 
expressions,  and  yet  dignified  and  reserved. 

The  great  leading  error,  disfigurement,  and  misfortune  of  a 
Mahometan  is  simply  this,  that  he  is  not  a  Christian.  He  has  no 
idols  to  get  rid  of;  no  abominable  customs,  such  as  widow- 
burning,  female  infanticide,  human  sacrifices,  or  cannibalism,  to 
be  trodden  down  ;  his  laws,  his  ceremonies,  his  customs,  are 
reduced  to  writing,  and  in  these  latter  days  are  printed.  He  is 
not  ashamed  of  his  past  history,  for  his  creed  has  filled  a  large 
page  in  the  world's  chronicles,  overrunning  large  portions  of 
Asia,  Europe,  and  Africa.  If  the  political  influence  of  that 
creed  is  now  on  the  wane,  the  propagandist  power  is  by  no 
means  diminished.  We  must  consider  the  phenomena  of  its 
existence  with  judicial  calmness.  It  cannot  be  supposed,  that 
such  a  mighty  factor  in  the  world's  history  came  into  play 
without  the  special  sanction  of  the  Almighty.    The  promulgation 


(     50    ) 

of  the  doctrines  of  Mahomet  is  one  of  the  greatest  landmarks  in 
history.  Human  sacrifices,  idolatry,  and  sorcery  fell  before  the 
approach  of  Islam  ;  for  there  is  found  in  its  texts  an  expression 
of  an  everlasting  truth,  a  rude  shadow  of  the  great  spiritual  fact, 
and  beginning  of  all  facts,  "  the  infinite  nature  of  Duty"  ;  that 
man's  actions  never  die,  or  end  at  all ;  that. man  in  his  little  life 
reaches  up  to  heaven  or  down  to  hell,  and  in  his  brief  span  holds 
an  eternity  fearfully  and  wonderfully  shrouded  from  his  sight 
and  conception.  The  doctrine  promulgated  was  so  simple,  that 
it  could  be  understood  at  once,  never  forgotten,  and  never  dis- 
proved ;  so  consonant  to  reason,  unassisted  by  revelation,  that 
it  seemed  an  axiom  ;  so  comprehensive  that  it  reached  every 
human  state,  and  embraced  all  the  kindreds  and  races  of  man- 
kind. "There  is  no  God  but  one  God."  Simple  as  was  the 
conception,  none  of  the  earlier  religions,  fashioned  by  human 
intellect,  had  arrived  at  it.  There  were  no  longer  to  be  temples, 
altars,  or  sacrifices,  or  anthropomorphic  conceptions,  but  a  God 
incapable  of  sin  and  defilement,  merciful,  pitying  ;  King  of  the 
day  of  judgment ;  one  that  heareth  prayers,  and  will  forgive,  so 
long  as  the  sun  rises  from  the  east ;  a  God  not  peculiar  to  any 
nation  or  language,  not  the  God  of  the  hill-country,  or  the 
plain  country,  of  the  Hebrew,  the  Egyptian,  the  Assyrian,  the 
Hittite,  the  Moabite,  the  Greek,  or  the  Roman,  but  the  God  of 
all,  alone,  omniscient,  omnipresent,  and  omnipotent. 

Much,  if  not  all,  of  this  grand  conception  had  been  borrowed 
from  the  Jews  and  the  Christians,  but  it  had  been  purged 
from  the  follies  and  degradations,  with  which  it  had  been  over- 
laid in  the  sixth  century  after  Christ,  and  it  had  never  been  so 
distinctly  enforced,  nor  so  extensively  and  endurably  promulgated 
in  such  gleaming  phraseology.  It  was,  indeed,  an  indignant 
protest  against  the  degradation,  to  which  the  Syrian,  the 
Nestorian,  the  Greek,  and  the  Koptic  Churches  had  fallen  in 
their  insane  discussions  about  Homoousion  and  Homoioousion, 
and  the  awful  mysteries  of  the  Trinity,  and  the  Divine  Person  of 
our  Saviour.  Until  these  latter  days,  when  the  germs  of  pure 
and  healthy  Christian  belief  are  planted  in  every  part  of  the 
world,  where  soil  can  be  found  ready  to  receive  them,  it  had 
been  given  to  no  propagandist  religion  to  find  such  immediate 
and  vast  expansion.  It  not  only  trod  out  the  decaying  and 
corrupted  Christianities,  but  it  passed  beyond  the  bounds  of 
the  Roman  Empire,  the  Euphrates,  into  regions,  to  which  the 
Christian  religion  had  never  reached,  and  extinguished  for  ever 
the  ancient  ritual  of  the  Fire-worshipper,  and  pushed  on  beyond 
the  Indus,  to  hold  its  own  against  the  great  Brahmanical  legends 
of  India.  The  Arab  merchant  carried  it  backward  and  forward, 
and  still  to  this  day  carries  it,  over  the  deserts  of  Africa,  giving 
it  to  black  races  as  the  first  germs  of  civilization ;    the  Malay 


(     51     ) 

pirate  carried  it  to  the  cannibals  and  head-hunters  of  the  Indian 
Archipelago,  telling  them  of  the  natural  equality  of  man  before 
God,  the  abolition  of  priestcraft,  and  the  certainty  of  a  day 
of  judgment,  and  everlasting  happiness  or  torment.  These 
doctrines  may  have  lost  their  youthful  vitality,  but  not  their  truth. 
Over  vast  regions  they  have  propagated  themselves,  and  are  still 
propagating,  by  the  force  of  their  own  superiority,  for  there  is 
nothing  in  the  simple  formula  to  stagger  reason,  or  make  large 
demands  on  intelligence  and  faith.  A  neo-Mahometan  does 
not  undergo  a  conversion  in  the  sense  of  the  Christian  Protestant 
Church,  but  merely  a  social  transformation. 

But  much  of  the  Paganism,  which  it  tried  to  supersede,  clung 
to  its  skirts;  being  but  a  human  conception,  it  had  not  the 
power  to  sound  the  depths  of  the  human  heart.  And  the 
heathen,  when  he  accepts  Islam,  is  not  a  changed  man,  a 
converted  man,  born  again,  but  the  same  man  with  a  new 
formula,  and  a  new  creed  ;  and  a  new  law  of  commission 
and  omission,  but  the  same  unrenewed  heart.  Then  it  was 
essentially  an  Oriental  conception  ;  it  was  crystallized  into  a 
civil  and  criminal  code,  which  may  have  suited  the  Arab  or  the 
Oriental  neighbours  of  the  Arab,  but  was  not  susceptible  of 
expansion  to  meet  other  wants,  and  other  intellectual  and  social 
environments,  of  which  its  human  framer  in  his  limited  know- 
ledge had  no  conception.  Herein  is  the  Divine  marvel  of  the 
Christian  conception,  fashioned,  indeed,  in  an  Oriental  model, 
but  capable  of  being  adapted  to  every  possible  circumstance  and 
state  of  culture  of  the  human  race.  Thus  it  has  happened,  that 
Slavery  and  Polygamy  are  rightly  or  wrongly  deemed  to  be  part 
and  parcel  of  the  Mahometan  faith,  though  among  the  fifty 
millions  of  Mahometans  in  India  Slavery  is  absolutely  extinct, 
and  Polygamy  on  the  wane.  Thus  also  customs  such  as  cir- 
cumcision, abstention  from  certain  foods,  formal  prayer  in  a 
language  totally  unintelligible  to  the  worshipper,  prolonged 
fastings,  and  lengthy  pilgrimages,  have  survived  into  an  age, 
which  has  outgrown  such  ceremonious  observances,  which  laughs 
at  so  large  a  husk  round  so  small  a  kernel  of  doctrine,  not  likely 
to  survive  under  the  scorching  heat  of  public  opinion,  and 
the  unsympathetic  contact  of  a  nineteenth-century  Occidental 
civilization. 

Still  the  very  existence  of  Mahometanism  unreformed  seems 
incompatible  with  Occidental  ideas.  I  read  in  the  pages  of  the 
Times  that  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  presented  the  Grand  Wazir 
with  ^1000  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  ceremony  of  circum- 
cision of  his  children,  as  a  mark  of  Imperial  favour.  I  wonder, 
whether  any  other  Sovereign  in  Europe,  or  any  Prime  IMinister 
of  an  European  State,  read  this  without  a  smile.  The  Times 
records  also,  that  the  Ex-Khedive  Ismail  was  honoured  at  the 


(      52      ) 

ceremony  of  the  Selamlik  with  an  invitation  to  take  part  in 
prayer  with  His  Majesty,  a  marked  favour  and  attention  on  the 
part  of  his  Sovereign.  General  Gordon  of  Khartum  repaired 
a  Mahometan  Mosque,  and  had  a  great  ceremonial  on  the 
re-opening  :  in  a  letter  to  his  sister,  published  by  Dr.  Birkbeck 
Hill,  he  remarks,  "  This  was  a  great  coup :  to  me  it  appears 
"  that  the  Mahometan  worships  God  as  well  as  I  do,  and  is 
"  acceptable,  if  sincere,  as  any  Christian."  Further  on  I  read 
that  he  paid  for  the  expenses  attending  the  circumcision  of  a 
boy :  it  is  not  stated  what  the  boy  was :  I  trust  that  he  was 
a  Negro  and  not  a  Kopt.  Such  anecdotes  as  these  produce 
an  unpleasant  sensation,  and  engender  a  doubt,  whether 
Mahometanism  is  really  a  Religion,  and  not  a  mere  Political 
Cultus.  While  I  am  writing,  my  eye  falls  upon  the  pages 
of  the  Ti?7ies,  which  reports  that  when  the  first  train  ran  from 
Belgrade  to  Salonica,  at  the  Turkish  frontiers,  where  the 
trains  were  changed,  some  Mahometans  were  in  attendance, 
who  slaughtered  three  sheep  as  a  sacrifice.  This  foolish  rite 
having  been  accomplished,  the  passengers  got  into  the  Turkish 
train  and  steamed  off.  Nothing  can  justify  this.  The  Mahometan 
Religion  was  promulgated  at  a  period  in  the  history  of  the 
World,  when  the  ancient  practice  of  the  sacrifice  of  animals  had 
become  obsolete :  in  all  probability  the  forefathers  of  these 
Mahometan  sacrificers  had  been  Greek  Christians,  as  there  is 
little  Arab  or  Turkish  blood  in  Europe.  I  have  lived  a  quarter 
of  a  century  in  happy  intimacy  with  Hindu  and  JMahometan, 
but  no  such  anachronous  absurdity  would  have  happened  in 
British  India.  I  am  in  full  sympathy  with  men  of  other  race, 
language,  religion,  and  state  of  culture,  but  I  cannot  but 
condemn  the  acts  recorded  above. 

It  would  be  a  bad  time  for  the  Christian  Missionaries,  if  any 
large  section  of  a  INIahometan  nation  were  to  wake  up  to  the 
fact,  that  men's  minds  grow  wider  with  the  progress  of  the  suns, 
and  were  to  add  Monogamy  to  their  existing  dogma,  though  by 
no  means  universal  practice,  of  total  abstinence  from  all  spirituous 
liquors,  were  to  substitute  a  careful  study  in  the  vernacular  of  the 
really  grand  and  beautiful  portions  of  the  Koran  for  the  vain 
repetition  of  incomprehensible  Arabic  formulae ;  were  to  add 
purity  of  morals  to  their  existing  purity  of  dogma,  and  to  live 
the  lives  of  decent  Asiatics,  adding  a  hatred  of  Slavery  to 
their  present  hatred  of  idolatry  and  worship  of  images,  whether 
by  Pagan  or  Roman  Catholic  ;  if  to  this  they  add  a  careful  study 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  which  are  in  fact  and  in  theory  as 
sacred  to  them  as  to  us,  though  they  are  totally  ignorant  of  them, 
and  still  failed  to  be  converted,  and,  setting  their  faces  like  ilint 
against  Christian  interpretations  of  the  Bible,  were  themselves 
to  send  out  missionaries  of  a  Reformed  Islam,  they  would  indeed 


(     53     ) 

become  a  factor  in  the  mission-field  of  a  most  formidable 
import.  We  may  congratulate  ourselves  that  they  are  as  we 
find  them.  Many  a  Hindu  is  better  than  the  religion,  which 
he  nominally  professes,  and  his  religion  is  incompatible  with 
education  and  civilization.  But  every  Mahometan  is  far  worse 
than  the  religion,  which  he  nominally  professes;  he  never  really 
understands  it,  for  it  is  never  taught  in  its  integrity.  If  un- 
educated, he  knows  nothing  beyond  the  dogma,  the  rite  of 
circumcision,  the  daily  prayers,  and  the  annual  fastings ;  if  he 
is  educated,  he  is  either  a  debauchee,  breaking  the  very  laws  of 
the  faith  which  he  professes,  or  he  is  notorious  for  his  fierce 
prejudices,  his  intolerant  notions,  his  entire  deficiency  of  philo- 
sophical and  historical  acumen,  and  is  despicable  as  an  antagonist. 
The  Mahometans  in  Turkey  or  Persia  will  talk  wildly  about  the 
impossibility  of  a  follower  of  Islam  submitting  to  any  law  but 
that  of  the  Koran  and  its  accompanying  traditions ;  but  we  in 
India  know  that  fifty  millions  live  very  happily  under  Anglo- 
Indian  codes  of  law  without  a  particle  of  Mahometan  law, 
except  what  relates  to  marriage  and  inheritance,  and  that  a 
very  large  section  of  converted  Hindus,  or  Neo-Mahometans, 
reject  even  that  fragment,  and  prefer  to  retain  the  Hindu  laws 
in  these  particulars. 

Comparing  the  Hindu  and  Mahometan  peasantry,  the  Hindu 
Pandit,  and  Mahometan  Moulavi,  the  Hindu  Raja  and  Mahometan 
Nawab,  with  each  other,  I  do  not  think  that  the  latter  have  truer 
notions  of  the  Godhead,  or  purer  notions  of  morality,  than  the 
former.  If  modern  Hinduism  has  degenerated,  so  also  has 
modern  Mahometanism. 

The  book  before  us  is  one  of  great  importance ;  the  very 
best  authorities  admit,  that  it  is  an  accurate  representation  of 
Mahometan  doctrine  and  practice,  and  a  most  complete  one. 
It  errs  on  the  side  of  exceeding  rather  than  falling  short  of  the 
requirements  of  the  case,  and  there  is  a  want  of  relative  pro- 
portion of  the  length  of  some  of  the  notices  to  the  importance 
of  the  thing  noticed ;  and  the  book  would  have  been  handier, 
if  it  had  been  of  less  bulk,  and  more  available  to  students  in 
being  cheaper.  Still  it  is  a  noble  and  important  work,  but  it  is 
the  work  of  an  able  and  experienced  Protestant  missionary,  whose 
knowledge  of  living  Mahometans,  as  distinguished  from  know- 
ledge acquired  from  books,  is  confined  to  the  Afghans  of 
Peshawar,  thorough  ruffians,  and  totally  uneducated.  The  vision 
of  a  Missionary,  in  itself  of  necessity  narrow,  by  the  require- 
ments of  his  holy  calling,  is,  in  this  case,  further  contracted  by 
the  limited  contact  with  the  professors  of  the  religion  which  he 
describes. 

He  states  in  his  preface  that  his  "intention  is  to  give,  in  a 
tabulated  form,  a  concise  account  of  the  doctrines,  rites,  cere- 


(     54    ) 

monies,  and  customs,  together  with  the  technical  and  theological 
terms,  of  the  Mahometan  religion."  I  must  admit  that  his 
task  has  been  fully  accomplished,  and  that  no  Missionary  would 
be  justified  in  entering  upon  the  Mahometan  field  of  labour 
who  has  not  studied  this  volume.  It  cannot  be  too  thoroughly 
understood  that  the  epoch  for  the  Missionary,  pious  yet  ignorant, 
self-consecrated  but  untrained,  is  past.  The  brave  savage  does 
not  inquire  into  the  strength  of  his  antagonist,  but  the  skilful 
general  takes  no  forward  step,  until  he  has  obtained  every  possible 
information  of  the  enemy's  strength,  resources  and  tactics.  It 
is  fair  to  state  that  the  author's  statements  are  remarkably  sober, 
fair,  and  impartial. 

His  method  of  treating  the  subject  appears  to  be  very  judicious. 
A  dictionary  is  not  pleasant  for  continuous  reading,  and  is  by  its 
alphabetical  necessity  disjointed ;  yet  for  zwy  pro  re  nata  reference, 
commend  me  to  a  dictionary.  We  all  know  what  time  is  lost 
hunting  through  tables  of  contents,  or  running  the  eye  down 
an  unscientific  index.  Having  selected  his  topics,  the  author 
usually  begins  his  notice  by  a  quotation  from  the  Koran,  supple- 
menting it  by  quotations  from  the  traditions  and  esteemed 
Mahometan  commentators ;  to  this  he  has  added  quotations 
from  European  scholars.  Now  this  is  very  conscientious  and 
exhaustive  treatment.  A  kind  of  doubt  must,  however,  seize 
the  mind  of  the  reader,  whether  the  author  is  acquainted  with 
the  Arabic  language  beyond  spelling  out  the  Koran,  and  whether 
he  is  acquainted  with  any  of  the  European  languages ;  for  the 
subject  of  JMahometanism  has  been  so  elaborately  discussed  by 
French,  German,  and  other  Continental  scholars,  none  of  whom 
he  quotes. 

This  opens  out  another  question.  Mahometanism  extends 
from  the  Western  Provinces  of  China,  right  through  the  Con- 
tinent of  Asia,  as  far  north  as  Kazan  on  the  Volga,  to  the 
Mediterranean  and  Black  Sea,  over  some  portion  of  Europe, 
over  a  considerable  portion  of  Africa,  as  far  as  the  Straits  of 
Gibraltar  eastwards,  and  southwards  as  far  as  Zanzibar  on  the 
East  Coast,  and  the  Basin  of  the  Niger  on  the  West.  The 
author's  personal  knowledge  of  the  practice  of  Mahometans  is 
restricted  to  a  small  Province  in  Afghanistan  across  the  Indus, 
and  to  the  people  of  the  Panjab.  The  area  is  enormous,  but  the 
circumstances  are  extraordinarily  different  of  portions  of  these 
religionists.  There  are  millions  under  the  rule  of  Great  Britain, 
France,  Holland,  and  Russia,  strong  Christian  Governments, 
which  know  how  to  make  themselves  obeyed.  There  are  millions 
imder  the  rule  of  the  Sultan  of  Turkey,  the  Khedive  of  Egypt, 
the  Shah  of  Persia,  Mahometan  sovereigns,  yet  still  exercising 
a  reality  of  substantial  rule.  There  are  millions  under  barbarous 
systems  of  government,  such  as  the  Chinese  Local  Governors  in 


(     55     ) 

Chinese  Tartary  and  the  Province  of  Sechuen,  the  Amir  of 
Afghanistan,  the  Amir  of  Khiva  and  Bokhara,  the  Sultan  of 
Morocco,  the  Saltan  of  Zanzibar,  and  the  Imam  of  Muscdt ; 
and  there  are  millions  without  any  semblance  of  Government 
at  all,  such  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  islands  of  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago, the  nomads  of  Arabia,  and  of  the  great  African  Sudan, 
which  extends  from  the  Nile  to  the  Niger,  and  beyond  to  the 
Atlantic.  There  is  great  diversity  in  their  practice  and  their 
tenets.  The  Indian  and  African  would  naturally  be  deemed 
very  bad  Mahometans  from  the  contact  of  the  corruption  of 
their  Pagan  neighbours ;  the  Egyptians  are  notoriously  bad 
Mahometans,  thcMalays  are  only  skin-deep  converts. 

The  author,  in  his  preface,  hopes  that  the  book  will  be  useful 
(i)  to  the  Government  official  called  to  administer  justice  to  a 
Mahometan  people;  (2)  to  the  Christian  Missionary  engaged  in 
a  controversy  with  Mahometan  scholars;  (3)  to  the  student  of 
comparative  religions ;  (4)  to  all  who  care  to  know  the  leading 
principles  of  thought  of  175  millions  of  the  human  family,  who 
have  adopted  the  tenets  of  Mahomet. 

To  the  fourth  class  a  consecutive  treatise  would  have  been 
more  agreeable.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  any  one,  who  had  not 
some  direct  duty  to,  or  relation  with,  Mahometans  deliberately 
reading  a  dictionary  such  as  this.  The  third  class  would 
certainly  consult  the  original  documents,  which  are  readily  and 
amply  available.  The  second  and  the  first  class  will  furnish 
the  readers  of  this  book.  There  are  Christian  Missionaries  at 
this  moment  in  Turkey,  Egypt,  Algiers,  Morocco,  at  Zanzibar 
and  on  the  Niger,  in  Persia,  Afghanistan,  and  India;  and  they 
will  have  to  use  caution  in  reading  this  book,  or  they  may  be 
misled.  Much  of  it  is  applicable  to  Mahometanism  in  its  early 
period,  but  totally  inapplicable  now.  Some  of  the  precepts  of 
the  Koran  are  about  of  as  much  practical  value  as  the  Book 
of  Leviticus.  The  convert  accepts  circumcision,  repeats  the 
Fatihah,  abjures  swine-flesh,  and  indulges  in  Polygamy  up  to 
four,  and  that  is  pretty  well  all  that  he  knows  of  his  new  faith. 
Even  the  Maulawi  themselves  are  found  to  be  grossly  and 
ridiculously  ignorant.  The  Missionary,  who  has  mastered  the 
Koran,  either  in  its  original  or  a  translation,  and  who  studies 
Mr.  Hughes'  book,  will  be  as  much  above  the  level  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  people  among  whom  he  dwells,  as  one  of 
the  Old  Testament  Revision  Company  would  be  among  the 
nominal  Christians  of  towns  in  England. 

There  remains  the  first  class,  the  Government  ofiicial.  This 
can  apply  only  to  the  official  in  British  India.  The  wildest 
enthusiast  can  hardly  imagine  a  Mahometan  Kadi,  or  Wall,  or 
Kaimmakam,  or  the  petty  local  tyrants  of  Morocco,  Persia,  and 
Afghanistan,  or  the  Sheikhs  of  the  independent  nomads,  or  the 


(     56     ) 

French  pr6fet  or  juge,  or  the  Russian  military  commandant, 
studying  Mr.  Hughes'  book.  But  the  official  in  British  India 
is  just  the  very  person,  to  whom  the  book  would  be  useless ; 
at  least  such  is  the  opinion  of  one,  who  was  judge  and  magistrate 
over  Mahometans  for  more  than  twenty  years.  The  Code  of 
Positive  Criminal  Law  and  Procedure,  and  the  Code  of  Civil 
Procedure,  have  made  a  clean  sweep  of  Mahometan  laws,  and,  as 
already  stated,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  reserved  subjects 
of  marriage  and  inheritance,  civil  decisions  follow  the  prece- 
dents either  of  English  or  Roman  law.  When  I  consider  the 
topics  of  Slavery,  eunuchs,  evidence,  oaths,  and  land,  they  are 
only  of  antiquarian  interest,  as  the  Mahometans  of  India  have  no 
special  law,  or  position  on  these  subjects.  Nor  would  the  article 
as  to  the  position  of  women  in  Arabia  have  any  possible  bearings 
on  the  circumstances  of  women  in  India,  which  are  so  totally 
different. 

Two  long  articles  have  been  introduced  into  the  book  from 
the  pens  of  two  distinct  authors,  which  it  would  have  been 
better  to  have  omitted,  as  they  have  added  to  the  bulk  of  a  work 
with  which  they  have  nothing  in  common.  One  is  an  essay  on 
Arabic  writing,  by  Dr.  Steingass,  an  interesting  subject  no 
doubt,  but  not  in  the  least  connected  with  the  Mahometan 
tenets  and  customs.  As  a  fact  it  existed  in  Arabia  before  the 
time  of  Mahomet,  and  is  by  rules  of  strict  induction  derived 
from  the  old  Phenician  alphabet,  of  which  the  earliest  monu- 
ment is  found  in  the  Moabite  Stone.  This  character  is  used  by 
all  the  literary  classes  of  Hindus  in  Northern  India,  and  by  the 
Christians  in  Syria  and  Egypt.  It  is  by  no  means  a  sacred 
alphabet,  nor  is  it  one  restricted  to  religious  uses.  Still  more 
unnecessary  and  improper  was  the  introduction  of  a  long  article 
on  Sikhism,  by  ]Mr.  Pincott.  The  Sikhs  are  only  Hindu 
sectarians,  and  it  might  as  well  be  said,  that  a  Baptist  was  not 
a  Christian  as  that  a  Sikh  was  not  a  Hindu.  It  has  no  practical 
value  at  all,  and  has  not  even  the  merit  of  being  a  correct  repre- 
sentation of  existing  facts.  The  Sikhs  hated  the  Mahometans 
with  a  deadly  hate,  and,  while  they  were  in  power  in  the  Panjab, 
desecrated  their  sacred  buildings,  confiscated  their  religious 
grants,  and  oppressed  them  in  every  possible  way.  Whatever 
fusion  Nanak  may  have  dreamt  of,  disappeared  when  Guru  Govind 
commenced  his  career  of  vengeance  upon  his  jMahometan  op- 
pressors, whose  dominion  in  India  he  helped  to  annihilate. 

The  articles  upon  Jesus  Christ,  the  Jews,  Jerusalem,  the 
Koran,  Tradition,  Mahomet,  and  Mahometanism,  are  of  per- 
manent value.  So  also  are  the  notices  of  Scripture  personages, 
such  as  Moses,  Joseph,  and  others,  from  the  Mahometan  point 
of  view.  The  account  of  the  great  festivals,  the  Id-ul-Azha, 
Id-ul-Fitr,  and  the  Muharram,  is  satisfactory.     There  is  nothing 


(     57    ) 

in  the  Koran  to  connect  the  first-named  festival  with  Ishmael, 
but  it  is  held  by  Mahometans  to  have  been  instituted  in  com- 
memoration of  Abraham's  willingness  to  offer  up  his  son  as  a 
sacrifice,  and  the  son  thus  offered  was  Ishmael,  not  Isaac. 
The  writer  of  this  paper  once  ventured  to  remark  to  an  excellent 
and  worthy  native  judge,  that  Abraham  was  ready  to  off"er  up 
Isaac,  NOT  Ishmael.  With  a  kind  and  pitying  smile  he 
corrected  me,  remarking  that  a  Mahometan  only  could  know 
the  truth  of  what  Abrah9,m,  ivho  ivas  himself  a  Mahometan,  did. 
An  entire  absence  of  historical  and  geographical  knowledge  is 
an  important  factor  in  an  inflexible  faith  in  a  false  religion. 

No  one,  who  has  travelled  in  India  and  Turkey,  can  have 
failed  to  remark  how  totally  different  the  mosques  of  the  two 
countries  are.  The  mosque  of  Sultan  Suliman  at  Constanti- 
nople has  no  resemblance  whatever  to  the  Jama  Masjid  of  Dehli, 
and  still  less  to  the  famous  mosque  of  Cordova  in  Spain. 
Mr.  Hughes,  in  his  article  on  Masjid,  "  the  place  of  prostration 
in  prayer,"  points  out  the  necessary  feature  of  a  mosque,  the 
Mihrab,  which  indicates  the  direction  of  Mekka,  and  therefore 
the  direction  pointed  in  Cordova  is  precisely  the  reverse  of  the 
one  pointed  at  Dehli,  and  the  Mimbah,  or  pulpit,  from  which 
the  Khutbah,  or  Friday  oration,  is  recited.  In  the  Court  there 
are  conveniences  for  water  for  purposes  of  ceremonial  ablution. 
The  Imam  leads  the  devotions,  the  Muazzin  calls  to  prayers 
from  the  lofty  gallery  of  a  Minaret ;  there  is  great  dignity  and 
solemnity  and  lifting  up  of  heart  in  the  whole  ceremony.  The 
writer  of  this  notice  has  stood  by  the  side  of  the  Muazzin  in  an 
oasis  of  the  great  Sahara,  and  in  the  centre  of  crowded  cities 
such  as  Constantinople,  Damascus,  Cairo,  Banaras,  and  Dehli, 
as  he  sounded  out  over  the  houses  far  below,  above  the  city's 
din,  the  cry  that  "  God  is  great,  and  that  there  is  no  God  but 
"  one  God.  Come  to  salvation."  The  long  rows  of  kneeling 
figures  in  the  interior  is  an  imposing  sight.  The  worshippers 
are  terribly  in  earnest,  and  the  object  of  their  worship  is  the 
Supreme  Creator  of  the  Universe,  and  the  prayers,  which  are 
uttered  in  Arabic,  though  utterly  unintelligible  to  the  person 
praying,  convey  the  noblest  form  of  adoration  clothed  in  the 
most  majestic  and  sonorous  phraseology. 

Two  more  articles  deserve  notice,  as  they  touch  upon  the 
relation  of  the  religion  of  the  Mahometans  to  the  Civil  Governor. 
From  the  Mimbah  in  the  Masjid  the  Khutbah,  or  Friday  oration, 
is  delivered.  Tradition  hands  down  that  Mahomet  used  fre- 
quently to  deliver  a  Khutbah,  fresh  and  new,  and  not  the  studied 
and  formal  oration  which  has  now  become  the  practice.  It  is 
the  old  story.  In  the  beginning  there  were  men  gifted  with  the 
power  of  speech,  and  they  spoke  the  living  thoughts,  that  coined 
themselves  into  golden  words,  as  they  rose  from  the  heart  to  the 


(     58     ) 

lips.  A  generation  followed,  less  spiritual  and  less  vivid,  who 
read  their  own  written  sermons.  To  them  succeeded  a  genera- 
tion still  more  lazy  and  stolid,  who  read  the  stereotyped  words 
of  others,  but  not  necessarily  the  same  formula.  ^Ir.  Hughes 
gives  two  or  three  selected  Khutbah,  and  if  only  the  hearers 
could  understand  them,  they  would  be  profitable  for  instruction 
and  reproof;  but  it  is  doubtful,  whether  they  are  intelligible  in 
countries,  where  Arabic  is  still  the  vernacular  in  a  somewhat 
modernized  dialect  and  pronunciation,  and  are  totally  useless  in 
other  countries.  Besides,  the  great  sin  of  ritual  accompanies 
them,  in  that  they  are  chanted  in  non-natural  and  sing-song 
tones,  and  the  best  Khatib  was  he  who  whined  and  intoned  the 
best.  The  Prophet  himself,  with  an  astuteness  which  marks 
that  superior  intellect  which  he  no  doubt  possessed,  has  left  on 
record  that  "  the  length  of  a  man's  prayer  and  the  shortness 
"  of  his  sermons  are  the  signs  of  a  man's  common-sense." 

According  to  the  best  traditions,  the  name  of  the  reigning 
Khalifah  ought  to  be  recited  in  the  Khutbah,  and  this  gives  an 
interest  to  the  article  on  that  word.  As  the  Pope  of  Rome  and 
the  Lama  of  Tibet,  so  also  the  Khalifah  claims  to  be  vicegerent 
of  God  by  spiritual  succession;  but  the  question  arises,  "Who 
is  the  Khalifah  ?"  The  lineal  descendants  of  the  Prophet  and 
the  line  of  the  Koreish  were  soon  exhausted,  and  the  fact  that 
in  Mahometan  countries  the  name  of  the  Sultan,  or  Amir, 
or  Shah,  is  substituted  for  the  Khalifah,  has  a  deep  significance. 
In  British  India  the  expression  "  Ruler  of  the  Age  "  has  been 
substituted  by  loyal  Mahometans.  The  claims  put  forth  by  the 
Sultan  of  Turkey  to  the  spiritual  headship  of  Islam,  beyond  his 
own  dominions,  is  shadowy  in  the  extreme,  and  may  be  puffed 
away.  The  Sultan  is  by  the  male  line  a  Turk  from  the  regions 
north  of  the  Oxus ;  by  the  female  line  he  is  a  Circassian  of  the" 
regions  of  the  Caucasus.  His  ancestor,  Bajazet,  was  defeated  at 
the  battle  of  Angora,  and  carried  captive  in  an  iron  cage  by 
Timur  the  Lame,  the  ancestor  of  the  great  dynasty  of  the  Great 
Mogul  of  Delhi,  which  came  to  an  end  only  in  the  year  1857  in 
the  furnace  of  the  Indian  mutinies.  The  mighty  monarchs,  who 
ruled  over  India,  would  have  laughed  at  the  idea  of  any  Imam 
in  the  Masjids  of  their  kingdoms  praying  for  anybody  but 
themselves.  Mr.  Hughes  sets  out  the  absurdity  of  the  claim  of 
the  Sultan  of  Turkey  very  clearly  and  very  accurately.  The 
assumption  of  the  title  by  any  one  not  of  the  Arab  Koreish  tribe 
is  undoubtedly  illegal  and  heretical,  and  is  a  mere  gasconade  of 
the  irrepressible  Turk. 

One  incidental  advantage  of  the  publication  of  such  books  as 
this,  and  the  valuable  works  of  Sir  W.  INIuir,  and  the  German 
and  French  authors,  is  that  the  attention  of  the  champions  of  the 
Christian  faith  should  be  called  to  the  phenomena  presented  by 


(     59    ) 

this  great  Antichrist.  It  is  not  judicious  to  paint  Mahometanism 
and  its  followers  with  colours  that  are  not  true.  They  are  by 
precept,  though  not  by  universal  practice,  total  abstainers,  and 
so  far  on  a  higher  platform  than  the  average  Christians.  Poly- 
gamy is  the  exception.  ■  The  present  Sultan  of  Turkey  and  the 
Khedive  of  Egypt  present  an  example  of  monogamy  in  high 
places.  Slavery  was  the  disgrace  of  Christians  in  the  time  of 
many  of  us  still  alive,  and  it  will  die  out  in  Mahometan  countries 
before  the  present  generation  has  passed  away.  Toleration  of 
other  religions  was  ever  the  rule  of  Islam,  whatever  may  be  said 
to  the  contrary,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  existence  of  the  fallen 
Churches  in  VVestern  Asia,  and  North  Africa,  and  by  the  great 
Hindu  nation  in  India.  The  present  century  will  possibly  see 
the  extinction  of  the  last  Mahometan  independent  kingdom  ; 
at  any  rate  their  claws  have  been  cut,  and  they  supply  good 
subjects,  and  excellent  public  servants,  and  respectable  members 
of  society  in  India.  The  important  point  is  that  just  as  Paganism, 
and  Nature  worship,  and  the  Brahmanical  religion,  and  the 
Buddhist,  must  and  do  fade  away  under  the  scorching  light  of 
education  and  contact  with  other  nations,  Mahometanism,  on  the 
contrary,  becomes  stronger  and  more  refined.  It  has  nothing 
to  fear  in  its  essentials  from  science ;  it  never  claimed  miracles  ; 
it  appeals  to  a  book,  the  most  wonderful  uninspired  literary 
monograph,  that  the  world  ever  saw,  and  the  everlasting  truths 
which,  intermixed  with  much  irrelevant  and  incoherent  matter, 
that  book  contains.  As  the  Christian  writers,  inspired  by  God, 
drew  freely  upon  the  contents  of  the  Jewish  books,  so  Mahomet 
was  audacious  enough  to  pervert  both  Christian  and  Jewish 
books  to  his  own  false  purposes,  giving  a  new  colour  and  in- 
terpretation to  the  composite  amalgam.  A  "Comforter"  was 
promised  (John  xiv.  16)  under  the  term  7r«/)o«:X//Tos.  The 
Mahometan  would  read  TrapaKXvjo^,  which  being  interpreted  is 
"  Mahomet,"  "  the  one  that  is  praised."  The  names  of  Abraham, 
the  Friend  of  God ;  Moses,  the  Word  of  God  ;  Jesus,  the  Spirit 
God,  are  coupled  with  terms  of  deep  respect  with  the  name  of 
Mahomet,  the  Prophet  of  God.  In  Isaiah  xxi.  7,  the  Prophet 
sees  in  his  vision  "a  troop  of  asses  and  of  camels."  The 
Mahometan  interprets  this  as  a  prediction  of  Jesus,  who  came 
riding  on  an  ass,  and  Mahomet  on  a  camel.  The  name  of  our 
Lord  is  never  uttered  or  written  without  expressions  of  respect. 
Once  purged  of  the  dross  of  ignorance  and  spiritual  deadness, 
and  set  free  from  the  defilement  of  Paganism,  which  clings  to 
the  skirt  of  its  clothing,  refined  by  such  men  as  the  Wahabi 
revivalists,  who,  as  Mr.  Hughes  justly  says  in  his  article  on  that 
subject,  are  the  Protestants  of  Islam,  it  will  stand  out  as  the 
religion  of  a  pure  and  elevated  Monotheism,  with  a  code  of  the 
strictest   morality,  not  ignoring  but  overshadowing  the  tenets 


(     6o    ) 

and  books  of  the  Jews  and  the  Christians ;  and  in  the  next 
generation  men  of  the  stamp  of  Sayyid  Ahmad,  of  Aligarh,  will 
be  sent  out  as  Missionaries  of  Islam  all  over  the  world.  It  is 
well,  therefore,  that  the  leaders  of  the  Christian  world  should 
understand  with  what  a  power  they  may  have  to  cope  in  the 
twentieth  century,  one  more  dangerous  than  Agnosticism, 
Atheism,  and  Indiflferentism,  because  it  simulates  the  truth,  and 
is  severely  Propagandist. 

The  good  ^Mahometan  so  many  times  a  day  prostrates  himself, 
and  coldly  and  proudly  bandies  words  with  his  Creator,  with  a 
perfect  belief  of  a  future  state.  He  feels  no  sense  of  his  own 
sinfulness,  or  any  need  of  a  mediator,  because,  as  far  as  he 
imderstands  the  law  of  his  Prophet,  he  has  fulfilled  it.  He  has 
abstained  from  liquor  and  swine's  flesh  ;  he  has  not  violated 
the  sanctity  of  his  neighbour's  family  ;  he  has  repeated  the  pre- 
scribed prayers  and  kept  the  prescribed  fasts  ;  he  has  cursed  the 
infidels  and  idolaters,  and  is  satisfied.  In  India  he  is  on  excellent 
terms  with  the  Hindu  idolater,  and  in  Turkey  on  equally  good 
terms  with  the  Jews  and  the  Christian  idolaters,  for  he  justly 
considers  that  the  worship  of  images  and  pictures  in  the  Roman 
and  Greek  Churches  is  in  fact  the  eiSu}\o\mpei'a  which  is  for- 
bidden by  the  Torah,  and  the  Anjil,  and  the  Koran ;  by  Moses, 
Jesus,  and  Mahomet.  It  might  be  thought  by  sincere  Christians, 
that  such  a  bending  or  broken  staff  of  faith  and  hope  would  fail 
him  miserably  at  the  last  moment  of  his  life,  but  it  is  not  so. 
He  goes  to  his  death  with  an  assurance  of  Paradise,  whether 
that  death  is  peaceful  or  violent,  for  he  is  quite  sure  of  his 
inheritance,  having  taken  his  Prophet  at  his  word.  Innumerable 
instances  have  occurred  of  this  grand  and  dignified  submission 
to  fate.  The  disgraced  Pasha  accepts  the  bow-string  without  a 
murmur ;  the  mutinous  soldier  proudly  looks  his  last  unquailing 
look  as  he  stands  under  the  gallows;  the  Cadi,  detected  by -his 
Sovereign  in  the  practice  of  the  very  vices  which  he  was  com- 
missioned to  prevent  in  others,  and  condemned  to  death,  made 
no  palliation,  and  asked  for  no  mercy,  but  told  the  bystanders  to 
throw  open  the  shutters  and  tell  him  from  what  quarter  of  the 
heaven  the  sun  was  rising,  and  bowing  his  head  to  the  sabre,  he 
said,  "  The  Prophet  has  said  that  so  long  as  the  sun  rises  from 
"  the  east,  so  long  God  will  have  mercy  on  His  creatures."  It  is 
the  same  in  ordinary  private  life.  The  writer  of  this  notice 
one  day  missed  in  his  audience-chamber  a  much-respected 
Mahometan  official,  wise  and  gentle,  well-informed  and  faithful. 
At  evening  his  son  came,  and  reported  the  death  of  his  father  ; 
and  described  simply  how,  when  he  felt  his  end  near  (and  it 
came  suddenly),  he  asked  to  have  a  copy  of  the  Koran  placed  in 
his  hands,  and  then,  covering  his  head  with  a  sheet,  he  calmly 
awaited  the  coming  of  the  angel  of  death,  Azrail.     Now,  if  all 


(     6i     ) 

Mahometans  were  of  this  type,  their  conversion  would  be  im- 
possible. Under  any  circumstances,  the  progress  must  be  slow, 
and  so  it  has  proved.  Whole  islands  of  degraded  Nature- 
worshippers  may  be  gathered  in,  while  one  Mahometan  is  being 
converted.  The  study  of  the  sacred  books  of  the  Book-Religions 
of  the  world,  which  are  now  revealed  to  us,  may  convince  us 
how  serious  the  task  is  that  lies  before  us,  but  none  the  less  is  it 
our  duty  to  grapple  with  it.  Poor  weak  men  must  sow  the  seed  ; 
it  is  the  Lord  alone  that  gives  the  increase.  We  accept  His  great 
commission.     We  believe  in  His  promise  that  accompanied  it. 

A  Dictionary  of  Islam.  A  Cyclopaedia  of  the  Doctrines,  Rites,  Customs, 
and  Theological  Terms  of  the  Mahometan  ReHgion,  By  THOMAS  PATRICK 
Hughes,  B.D.  (1885}. — Review,  Record,  1886. 


B. 

Mr.  Joseph  Thomson,  the  African  traveller,  wrote  an  article 
in  a  Monthly  Periodical,  in  1886,  on  Mahometanism  in  Africa. 
The  gist  of  it  is  that  to  Islam  is  to  be  attributed  the  transforma- 
tion of  savage  tribes  into  semi-civilized  Nations,  and  that  there 
is  something  terribly  wrong  in  our  method  of  teaching  Christianity 
in  Africa.  According  to  him  a  good  Mahometan  is  better  than 
a  skin-deep  Christian,  and  Mahometanism  is  good  enough  for 
the  Negro  brain  to  assimilate.  He  is  so  well  known  as  a  brave, 
gentle,  and  sympathetic  leader  of  explorations  into  Equatorial 
Africa,  although  a  very  young  man,  that  I  regret  that  he  should 
have  erected  such  a  wide  theory  on  such  narrow  premises,  and 
expressed  an  opinion  on  one  of  the  gravest  subjects  of  human 
interest  with  such  little  experience.  About  the  evils  of  the 
Liquor  Traffic,  and  the  importation  into  Africa  of  firearms,  and 
gunpowder,  which  cling  to  the  skirts  of  Christianity,  I  can 
express  as  deep  a  condemnation  as  he  does  ;  but  I  must  remind 
him,  that  such  things  are  no  more  essential  parts  of  the  Christian 
Faith  than  Polygamy  and  Slavery  are  of  the  Mahometan  Dogma. 
It  is  true,  that  the  Mahometan  doctrines  of  the  Unity  of  the 
Godhead,  the  certainty  of  the  Day  of  Judgment,  the  Equality 
of  all  men  before  God,  and  the  great  law  of  Duty,  are  truths, 
which  the  Mahometan  Religion  presents  to  the  Pagan  world  in 
their  simplest  form  ;  but  these  truths  were  avowedly  borrowed  by 
Mahomet  from  the  Bible.  And  on  the  other  hand,  if  Mr.  Thomson 
in  his  last  journey  up  the  Niger  had  fallen  into  the  company 
of  Bishop  Samuel  Crowther,  Archdeacon  Crowther,  Archdeacon 
Johnson  of  Lukoja,  or  the  Rev.  James  Johnston,  Pastor  of  a 
Native  Church  in  Lagos,  all  pure  Negroes,  he  would  have  learnt 
from   their  lips,   that  Repentance,   Faith,  Justification   by   the 


(     62     ) 

merits  of  a  Saviour,  Sanctification  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  leading 
to  the  birth  of  a  new  man  and  a  consistent  walk  in  life,  are 
truths  quite  as  blessed,  quite  as  simple,  quite  as  intelligible  to 
the  meanest  intellect,  with  the  additional  advantage  of  trans- 
forming the  whole  nature  of  the  believer,  as  evidenced  by  the 
character  and  life  of  the  four  Negro  clergymen,  whose  names  I 
have  quoted. 

Mr.  Thomson  dilates  with  all  the  zest  of  a  new  discoverer  on 
the  phenomena  of  Oriental  life,  so  familiar  to  all,  who  have 
spent  their  lives  in  India :  the  call  of  the  Muazzin  to  prayer 
from  the  minaret,  and  the  stereotyped  prostrations,  repetitions 
and  ablutions  of  the  Faithful,  delight  him :  he  even  alludes  to 
the  Mahometan  schools  for  teaching  the  Koran  with  praise,  and 
notices  with  satisfaction,  that  some  students  from  the  Region 
which  he  visited,  had  found  their  way  to  that  great  Entrepot 
of  Ignorance,  the  Mosque  of  El  Azhar  at  Cairo,  which  the 
writer  of  these  lines  has  lately  visited.  He  does  not  mention, 
that  these  calls  to  prayer,  these  prayers,  and  that  Sacred  Book, 
are  in  a  language  totally  unintelligible  to  the  people,  and  even 
the  leaders  of  the  Congregation,  who  intoned  them,  and  that 
these  schools  positively  teach  nothing  worth  knowing,  because 
the  teachers  know  nothing.  This  is  no  idle  assertion,  as  the 
nature  of  the  teaching  in  the  Mahometan  Schools  of  India 
amidst  a  proud,  wealthy  and  powerful  population  has  been 
tested,  and  compared  to  them  the  Fulah  States  of  Central 
Africa,  visited  by  Mr.  Thomson,  are  mere  savages.  The 
Vernacular  of  these  tribes,  Hausa,  Surhai,  and  Fulah,  are  beautiful 
forms  of  speech ;  but  all  prayer,  praise  and  instruction  is  restricted 
to  Arabic,  as  totally  unknown  to  the  Negro  worshipper  as 
Latin  to  the  English  Sunday  Scholar.  I  need  scarcely  add, 
that  the  Christian  prayer,  praise,  and  instruction  are  in  the 
Vernacular  known  to  the  men,  women  and  children  of  the  tribe, 
who  are  able  to  hear  the  story  of  the  wonderful  work  of  God, 
and  the  great  Plan  of  Salvation,  each  in  his  own  vulgar  tongue, 
in  a  form  and  manner  calculated  to  arouse  the  Conscience,  or  as 
they  call  it  "  Heart-voice,"  which  has  slumbered  so  long,  and 
which  under  Mahometan  teaching  is  never  awakened,  for  it  is 
not  part  of  the  Mahometan  conception  to  convince  a  man  of 
Sin,  and  lead  him  to  repentance. 

Mr.  Thomson's  experience  of  men  and  countries  is  very 
limited.  Had  he  visited  India,  Ceylon,  China,  and  Japan,  he 
would  have  been  aware,  how  little  any  Religion  at  all,  even 
Christianity,  has  to  do  with  human  culture.  The  history  of  the 
Greek  and  Roman  races,  before  the  Christian  era,  taught  to 
him  at  school,  should  have  taught  him  this.  The  sight  of  the 
grand  cities,  the  noble  monuments,  the  mighty  empires,  built 
up  by  Idolaters,   and   maintained  in    splendour   for   centuries, 


(    63     ) 

would  have  enlightened  him,  and  he  would  have  learnt  another 
lesson,  that  the  great  monotheistic  Mahometan  Dogma  palpably 
injured,  relaxed,  and  even  destroyed  this  civilization,  and  that 
Christianity  has  often  done  the  same.  Had  he  conducted  his 
first  expeditions  among  the  Nation  of  Oceania,  who  sit  in  the 
lowest  steps  of  human  culture,  and  then  found  his  way  to  Eastern 
Central  Africa,  South  of  the  Equator,  the  great  Bantu  race, 
amidst  whom  he  travelled  so  happily  and  successfully,  he  would 
have  remarked  the  gradual  rise  and  improvement  in  the  strata 
of  barbarous,  miscalled  savage,  races,  arising  from  causes 
independent  of  any  supernatural  conceptions,  which  we  call 
"  Religion."  When  in  his  last  expedition  he  penetrated  into 
Western  Central  Africa  North  of  the  Equator,  he  found  himself 
unexpectedly  in  the  midst  of  the  great  Negro  race  in  its  finest 
type  and  development,  dwelling  in  towns  and  villages,  cultivating 
the  soil,  grouped  into  powerful  States,  able  to  protect  themselves 
from  the  Slave-dealer,  and  the  Liquor  Traffic,  ruled  over  by 
Chiefs  of  a  race  superior  to  their  own,  the  Fulah,  with  a  veneer 
of  Mahometan  culture  and  dogma.  Mr.  Thomson  too  hastily 
attributes  this  prosperity,  and  advancement,  to  Mahometanism. 
If  ever  he  had  visited  Rajputana,  or  South  India,  or  China  or 
Japan,  he  would  witness  a  much  higher  development  of  culture 
without  the  possible  insinuation  of  Mahometan  influence.  The 
Negro  race  is  susceptible  of  the  highest  culture,  if  it  only  has 
the  chance  of  developing  it.  It  had  that  chance  in  the  Oriental 
phase  in  the  Kingdoms  of  Sokoto  and  Gando,  which  Mr. 
Thomson  visited.  It  is  still  having  it  in  the  Occidental  phase  in 
Sierra  Leone,  Lagos,  and  other  portions  of  the  West  Coast  of 
Africa.  It  never  had  a  chance  in  the  Egyptian  Sudan,  although 
that  unhappy  region  had  plenty  of  opportunities  of  acquiring 
Mahometan  dogma,  and  Egyptian  culture,  from  the  Pasha  and  his 
rabble  troops,  from  the  Arab  nomads  of  the  great  desert,  grand 
specimens  of  humanity,  from  the  Mahdi  and  his  holy  Dervishes, 
and  that  pink  of  Mahometan  Chivalry,  the  Slave-dealer,  who  will 
pray  five  times  a  day,  keep  all  the  fasts,  be  a  model  Mahometan, 
and  yet  sack  villages,  ravish  women,  kill  infants,  and  carry 
helpless  Negroes  into  captivity,  and  sell  them  as  slaves. 

The  Christian  Religion  properly  taught  has  a  divine  power  to 
reach  and  change  the  heart.  The  Mahometan  dogma  rests  on 
the  surface,  and  shows  itself  by  the  mode  of  tying  the  turban, 
trimming  the  moustache  or  whisker,  the  ordinary  salutations  of 
Society,  the  particular  things  not  to  be  eaten,  the  mode  of  killing 
animals  for  food,  the  language  and  form  of  prayer,  the  modes  of 
genuflexion,  and  nothing  more.  He  that  is  filthy  is  still  filthy : 
he  that  is  licentious  is  still  licentious  :  he  that  is  not  held 
back  by  his  own  sense  of  human  pity  from  committing  murder, 
or  violent  crime,  will  not  be  held  back  by  the  tenets  of  Islam. 


(     64     ) 

The  heart  is  not  changed,  nor  pretended  to  be  changed.  A 
Pagan  by  becoming  a  Mahometan  recedes  from  rather  than 
approaches  the  possibility  of  being  a  Christian.  I  freely 
recognize,  that  the  dogma  of  INIahometanism  has  been  in  many 
countries  a  factor  for  the  abolition  of  abominable  customs, 
because  Mahometanism  is  the  outcome  of  the  culture  of  mankind 
in  a  civilized  country  in  the  sixth  century  of  the  Christian  era, 
and  operated  upon  races  far  behind  the  great  Arian  and  Semitic 
Families,  who  were  the  advance-guard  of  Civilization.  I  freely 
admit  that,  when  contrasted  with  the  conceptions  of  such  back- 
ward races,  it  represents  a  great  advance  of  the  Religious  con- 
ception, because  it  is  based  upon  the  Bible.  The  word  "  Islam  " 
itself  is  a  grand  and  beautiful  idea.  But  there  I  draw  my  line. 
In  its  hatred  for  idolatry  the  Mahometan  Religion  deserves 
our  gratitude,  and  respect,  as  a  protest  against  the  lamentable 
errors  of  the  fallen  Christian  Churches  of  Western  Asia,  Northern 
Africa,  the  Greek,  and  the  Roman.  I  can  go  no  further, 
and  but  for  the  respect,  which  I  bear  for  Mr.  Thomson's 
character,  as  a  blameless  leader  of  African  expeditions,  I 
should  scarcely  have  troubled  myself  to  reply  to  statements 
so  palpably  wrong.  His  errors  must  be  imputed  to  the  novelty 
of  the  phenomena  presented  to  his  notice,  and  to  his  imperfect 
study  of  the  people,  as  he  was  innocent  of  any  language  but  his 
own  :  not  to  any  perverse  desire  to  dishonour  the  Religion,  which 
he  professes,  or  to  give  occasion  to  the  enemy  to  blaspheme. 
The  Record,  Dec.  24,  1886. 


The  Mahometans  of  British  India  according  to  the  last 
Census  amount  to  fifty  Millions,  and  their  number  is  increasing 
by  the  peaceful  absorption  of  Non-Arian  Pagans.  Of  the  whole 
number  not  much  less  than  half  are  found  in  the  Province  of 
Bangal,  who  are  lax  INIahometans,  nominally  converted.  In 
the  Panjab  are  ten  Millions,  some  of  whom  are  of  the  stock  of 
the  original  invaders,  but  in  the  time  of  the  Great  Moguls 
many  great  tribes  were,  by  force  or  bribes,  converted,  and  are 
Mahometans  without  giving  up  their  proud  Caste-title  of  Rajput, 
and  preserving  their  own  Hindu  customs,  having  the  force 
of  law  with  regard  to  Marriage  and  Inheritance.  One  of  the 
Chieftains  of  a  great  Rajp^it  clan  is  a  Mahometan,  and  rules 
without  prejudice  over  his  Hindu  clansmen.  Many  of  the  Indian 
INIahometans  would  be  considered  very  lax  professors  of  their 
faith,  for  they  sacrifice  to  local  Deities,  and  let  their  wives 
sacrifice  to  Sitala,  the  Goddess  of  Small-pox  :  they  keep  a  Hindu 
family-priest,  are  very  remiss  in  their  prayers,  not  one  word  of 
which  they  understand,  and  totally  neglect  their  fasts :  to  some 


(    65     ) 

extent  Hindus  and  Mahometans  go  to  the  same  shrines  :  in  two 
districts  I  discovered  that  they  intermarried.  There  is  a  great  deal 
of  opportunity  for  a  Wahabi  Reformer,  but  it  is  as  well  for  the 
peace  of  the  British  Empire,  that  they  should  be  as  we  find 
them.  They  are  quite  as  much  observers  of  Caste-Rules  as  the 
Hindus,  and  it  is  with  a  feeling  of  surprise,  that  the  Englishman 
finds  himself  allowed  to  eat  and  drink  with  a  Mahometan  in 
Kashmir,  as  he  is  in  Western  Asia,  and  North  Africa.  One  thing 
is  obvious.  Under  the.  scorching  light  of  Education,  and  the 
electric  contact  with  other  nations.  Buddhism,  Hinduism,  Fire- 
worship,  Nature-worship  wither  away,  and  become  despised: 
but  this-  is  not  the  case  with  the  Mahometan  :  he  has  nothing  to 
be  ashamed  of  in  his  tenets,  if  he  can  once  understand  them, 
and  of  his  Koran,  if  he  can  read  it  in  the  original,  or  a  Trans- 
lation, and  act  up  to  it.  He  may  yet  be  a  powerful  factor  in 
the  History  of  India,  and  a  fierce  antagonist  to  the  spread  of 
Christianity. — Essays  on  Races,  and  Religions,  and  Languages  of 
India,  Linguistic  and  Oriental  Essays,  1887,  Second  Series,  p.  68. 


D. 

I  had  twenty-five  years  experience  of  the  Mahometans  of 
Northern  India,  being  in  their  midst,  employing  them  as  my 
servants,  public  and  private,  transacting  public  business  with 
them,  and  enjoying  their  society,  as  well  as  valuing  their  friend- 
ship. I  have  since  travelled  in  Turkey,  Trans-Caucasia,  Syria, 
Egypt,  Tunisia,  Algeria,  and  Morocco,  observing  the  Mohametan 
population  with  a  critical  eye,  and  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know  why 
they  have  been  described  by  some  in  such  black  colours.  My 
acquaintance  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  entire  littoral  of  the 
Mediterranean  Sea  enables  me  to  state,  that  the  lower  classes  of 
the  South  and  North  Coasts,  as  regards  the  religious  conception, 
and  religious  practice,  are  very  much  at  a  par  :  the  one  prostrates 
himself  in  a  Mosque,  and  repeats  unintelligible  words  to  the 
great  Creator  in  Arabic,  the  other  prostrates  himself  before  a 
hideous  idol  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  or  a  local  Saint,  and  repeats 
unintelligible  words  in  Latin  or  Greek.  Their  sobriety  and 
chastity  are  very  much  at  a  par.  The  ignorance  of  the  ordinary 
Oriental  Christian,  the  Spaniard,  Italian,  and  Greek  may  be 
equalled,  but  scarcely  surpassed  by  the  Mahometans  of  Egypt, 
Syria,  and  Algeria. 

At  any  rate  our  duty  is  clear  to  carry  the  Gospel  in  the  very 
best  way,  that  opportunity  offers,  to  every  nation  under  the  sun, 
and  to  leave  the  result  to  God.  It  is  a  matter  of  Duty,  not  of 
Choice.     Woe  unto  us  if  we  preach  not  the  Gospel ! 

The  Record,  Dec.  30,  1887  (with  additions,  1888). 

PART    II.  -6 


(    6;     ) 


IV. 

CASTE. 
A. — Caste  in  the  World. 

I  CONSIDER  myself  fortunate  in  having  the  opportunity  to  bring 
this  subject  forward  in  an  assembly  presided  over  by  you,  Sir 
Arthur  Hobhouse,  for  the  following  reasons.  Those  who,  like 
myself,  have  spent  their  lives  in  India,  have;  the  reputation  of 
being  prejudiced  in  favour  of  the  people ;  those  who  stay  at 
home,  sometimes  from  incorrect  reports,  conceive  a  feeling 
against  them.  You,  Sir,  who  had  the  privilege  of  taking  mature 
English  experience  to  India,  and  of  bringing  back  Indian 
experience  to  England,  are  able  to  hold  the  scales  fairly  betwixt 
those,  who  know  the  people  too  well,  and  those,  who  do  not 
know  them  personally  at  all. 

The  subject  of  Caste  is  one  of  considerable  importance. 
There  exists  unquestionably  a  social  institution  in  British  India, 
which  is  found  nowhere  else  in  such  compact  rigidity:  it  lays 
claim  to  considerable  antiquity,  and  is  a  social  phenomenon, 
which  cannot  be  overlooked  :  it  is  proposed  to  examine  the 
features  of  this  institution. 

It  is  of  no  practical  advantage  to  discuss  the  origin  of  Caste. 
Of  one  thing  there  is  no  doubt,  that  it  is  not  alluded  to  in  the 
Rig- Veda,  as  a  social  feature  of  the  early  Arian  population. 
The  Post-Vedic  Laws  of  Manu  lay  great  stress  upon  Caste,  but 
it  is  not  clear,  when  these  laws  were  compiled,  by  whose 
authority,  and  in  what  part  of  India.  The  idea  has  been 
hazarded,  that  they  were  compiled  at  a  comparatively  late  date, 
with  a  view  of  upholding  Caste  against  the  levelling  tenets  of 
the  Buddhists.  At  any  rate,  they  have  no  more  binding  force 
upon  the  people  of  India  generally  than  the  Book  of  Leviticus 
has  upon  Europe.  We  shall  see  further  on  that  eighty-six  per 
cent,  of  the  population  of  British  India  does  not  belong  to 
either  of  the  Priest,  Warrior,  or  Merchant  Castes  of  the  Books 
of  Manu,  but  are  members  of  the  Sudra  Caste,  or  of  a  mixed 
Caste,  or  absolutely  without  any  Caste  properly  so  called.  The 
subdivision    of   a   nation    into    Priest,   Warrior,   and    Merchant 


(  ^^  ) 

classes,  with  a  fourth  for  the  common  herd,  is  not  unusual  in 
Oriental  nations.  It  is  notorious  that  the  difficulty,  where  it 
exists  at  all,  is  found  among  the  lower  Castes,  the  great  majority 
of  whom  cannot  be  included  under  any  pretence  in  the  lowest 
of  the  Castes  of  Manu,  and  this  ought  to  be  convincing,  that 
the  question  is  not  one  practically  of  religion,  but  of  deep- 
rooted  social  custom  and  tribal  etiquette,  among  a  people,  who 
really  have  no  religious  conception  in  the  sense,  in  which  that 
word  is  known  by  Christian  and  Mahometan.  The  Sanskrit  term 
for  Caste  is  "Varna,"  or  "  colour,"  clearly  alluding  to  ethnical 
features.  The  ordinary  term  is  "Jati,"  or  "birth,"  an  elastic 
expression,  like  the  "good  family"  of  England.  The  people 
themselves  call  it  "  Bhaibundi,"  or  "  brotherhood,"  as  the 
essence  of  the  matter  lies  in  the  fact,  that  it  is  a  close  link 
uniting  sections  of  the  community  by  unwritten  laws  of  their 
own  devising. 

Caste  has  certainly  a  good  side,  and  its  sudden  destruction,  or 
collapse,  would  entail  considerable  evils  by  the  complete  dis- 
organization of  society,  which  would  ensue.  I  would  ask  the 
question,  whether  those  provinces  of  South-Eastern  Asia,  where 
Caste  does  not  prevail,  such  as  Afghanistan,  Barma,  Ceylon,  the 
Settlement  of  the  Straits  of  Malacca,  and  Hong  Kong,  are 
more  easily  governed  ;  whether  the  people  are  more  moral,  or 
advancing  more  steadily  in  the  paths  of  civilization  and  educa- 
tion, than  the  people  of  British  India,  who  are  absurdly  described, 
as  enslaved  by  Caste  ?  One  of  the  most  time-honoured  maxims 
in  the  science  of  government  is  that  famous  phrase  "  Divide  et 
impera,"  and  in  Caste  we  have  ready-made  fissures  in  the  com- 
munity, which  render  the  institution  of  secret  societies,  so 
common  and  so  dangerous  among  the  Chinese  and  Malays, . 
almost  impossible  in  India. 

The  striking  features  of  Caste  maybe  described  as  (i)  matri- 
monial ;  (2)  religious,  or  rather  quasi-religious ;  (3)  social. 
We  must  consider  each  separately. 

The  rules  of  Caste  are  of  course  theoretically  bad  in  prevent- 
ing the  free  intermarriage  of  tribe  with  tribe,  just  as  it  was  bad 
in  Rebecca  not  wishing  her  son  Jacob  to  marry  one  of  the 
daughters  of  Heth ;  as  it  was  bad  in  Nehemiah  compelling 
the  Jews,  after  the  return  from  the  captivity,  to  put  away 
their  wives  of  the  country ;  as  it  would  be  bad  in  a  quiet 
British  family  shuddering  at  the  idea  of  one  of  their  younger 
members  forming  an  alliance  with  a  Negress,  a  Gipsy,  a  Chinese, 
or  a  Malay.  Many  speak  of  the  vast  country  of  India,  as  if  it 
were  occupied  by  people  of  one  race,  one  religion,  one  rank 
in  life,  instead  of  being  the  habitat  of  infinite  varieties  of 
the  human  race.  Moreover,  ever  since  the  world  began,  and 
as   long   as  it   lasts,  there   will   be   a   restriction,   based   upon 


(    69    ) 

unwritten  and  most  capricious  law,  upon  promiscuous  alliances  in 
marriage,  and  the  fault  of  the  natives  of  India  is,  that  it  has  been 
made  so  rigid.  The  better  class  of  Mahometans  are,  however, 
in  this  respect  quite  as  strict,  and  among  native  converts  to 
Christianity  of  undoubted  excellence  we  find,  that  this  difficulty 
cannot  be  got  over,  and  that  a  man  of  good  family  will  seek  for 
a  wife  among  people  of  his  own  Caste,  and  no  equitable  person 
could  find  fault  with  him  for  doing  so. 

Caste  is  thoroughly  bad,  and  worthy  of  all  condemnation, 
if  it  encourages  the  notion,  that  all  m.ankind  are  not  equal  in 
the  face  of  God  and  of  their  fellow-creatures,  just  as  it  was  bad 
in  the  Greeks  looking  upon  all  the  world  as  barbarians  ;  as  it 
was  bad  in  the  Jew  asserting  a  superiority  over  the  rest  of  man- 
kind ;  as  it  is  bad  in  the  Anglo-Saxon  asserting  a  superiority 
over  the  uncivilized  weaker  races  and  the  aboriginal  tribes,  with 
whom  he  comes  into  contact.  But  the  question  may  fairly  be 
stated,  does  Caste  do  so  ?  Individual  fatuous  Brahmins  may  in 
their  shrine,  or  their  seclusion,  say  so  or  think  so  ;  but  we  are 
dealing  with  the  millions,  and  I  lay  down  broadly,  that  the 
members  of  the  thousand  respectable  Castes,  which  make  up 
the  population  of  India,  do  not  assert,  that  their  particular 
Caste  is  something  ie/fer  than,  or  superior  to,  the  Caste  of 
another,  but  that  it  is  different  from  that  of  another,  and  they 
would  object  to  eat  or  intermarry  with  the  members  of  a  Caste 
notoriously  superior  just  as  much  as  with  a  Caste  notoriously 
ififerior,  or  even  with  particular  subdivisions  of  their  own  Caste, 
separated  from  them  by  some  imperceptible  shade  of  difference. 

Caste  may  lastly  be  called  bad  in  placing  restriction  upon 
promiscuous  commensality,  and  thus  limiting  the  form  of 
hospitality  and  good-fellowship,  which  is  common  in  Europe, 
just  as  it  was  bad  in  the  Egyptians  considering  it  an  abomina- 
tion to  eat  with  the  Hebrews,  and  in  the  Hebrews  a  thousand 
years  later  objecting  to  eat  with  the  Gentiles.  I  could  quote 
numerous  other  cases  of  tribes  and  classes  refusing  to  eat 
together  from  notions  of  ceremonial  purity  both  in  ancient  and 
modern  times.  The  habits  of  Oriental  life  must  be  considered: 
insensibly  certain  kinds  of  food  are  objected  to  by  one  class 
and  indulged  in  by  others.  Some  classes  are  exceedingly  nice 
and  clean  ;  others  are  very  much  the  contrary.  The  hand  is  the 
only  instrument  used  in  feeding :  the  state,  in  which  that  hand 
is  kept,  is  therefore  a  consideration.  Besides,  we  know  as  a 
fact  in  Europe,  that  one  of  the  main  tests  of  the  division  of  the 
social  strata  is  that  of  taking  food  together  or  separately. 
It  would  be  repulsive  in  the  extreme  to  be  compelled  to  eat  and 
drink  with  those,  whose  vocations  are  nauseous,  and  habits 
uncleanly,  or  whose  tastes  in  the  choice  and  mode  of  pre- 
paration of  food  differed  materially.     As  the  social  ladder  is 


(    70    ) 

mounted,  there  arises  an  assimilation  in  culture  and  personal 
niceties,  yet  still  by  an  unwritten  law  the  table  of  persons  is 
kept  separate,  who  are  intimate  in  other  relations  of  life.  We 
find,  therefore,  the  groundwork  of  a  common  law  of  humanity 
even  in  the  exaggerated  law  of  Caste  with  regard  to  the  modes 
of  eating.  It  is  an  error,  however,  to  suppose  that  any  restric- 
tion is  thereby  placed  upon  hospitality.  I  have  myself  accepted 
the  hospitality  of  the  highest  Castes  of  Hindus,  and  dined  by 
the  side  of  the  host,  who  excused  himself  courteously  of  par- 
taking of  the  food  for  reasons,  which  I  quite  understood  ;  and 
I  have,  on  the  other  hand,  entertained  scores,  both  Hindu  and 
Mahometan,  by  entrusting  to  others  the  details  of  the  banquet, 
and  this  is  the  practice  of  good-fellowship  all  over  India.  The 
Mahometan  in  Turkey  shares  the  food  of  the  Christian,  but  it 
does  not  follow,  that  he  is  on  that  account  more  intimate  with 
Europeans  than  his  fellow-religionist  in  India  is  with  the  Hindu 
and  Christian,  whose  food  he  would  not  touch. 

I  have  dwelt  upon  these  features  of  Caste  to  show,  that  it  is 
one  of  the  Old  World  customs,  which  has  unluckily  survived  in 
India  in  a  hard  and  crystallized  form  to  the  present  day,  while 
other  nations  under  the  influence  of  progress  have  toned  it 
down,  or  abandoned  it  altogether.  Among  such  customs  may 
be  reckoned  domestic  Slavery  of  the  gentle  and  patriarchal  type, 
child  marriage.  Polygamy,  restriction  on  re-marriage  of  widows, 
belief  in  magic  and  divination,  cremation  of  the  dead,  painting 
or  seaming  of  the  features  and  limbs,  swathing  of  the  feet, 
circumcision,  and  even  blood  feuds  and  duelling.  It  is  difficult 
for  Europeans  in  the  nineteenth  century  to  understand,  how  any 
one  of  such  customs  can  be  defended  in  theory,  far  less 
practised  by  intelligent  and  educated  men  ;  and  yet  no  wise 
ruler  of  an  Oriental  people  would  venture,  except  in  an  indirect 
and  cautious  way,  to  interfere  with  such  customs,  which  must 
rather  be  left  to  the  slow  but  certain  discipline  of  intellectual, 
moral,  and  religious  progress.  As  regards  abominable  customs, 
offending  against  laws  Human  and  Divide,  such  as  human 
sacrifices,  burying  alive  of  lepers,  female  infanticide,  traffic  in 
slaves,  mutilation  of  the  human  body,  and  threats  of  immolation, 
the  Government  of  India  has  not  been  wanting  in  measures  of 
stern  repression. 

When  I  said  above,  that  Caste  is  not  noticed  as  existing  in 
Vedic  periods,  I  did  not  forget  the  famous  stanza  in  the  Rig- 
Veda,  of  which  such  liberal  use  is  made  by  the  antagonists 
of  the  custom.     It  runs  thus  : 

The  Brahmin  is  his  mouth  ;  the  Kshatriya  was  made  his  arms  ; 
What  the  Vaisya  was  that  was  his  hips  ;  from  his  feet  sprung  the  Sudra. 
Now  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that   this   stanza  is  not  written  in 
Vedic  or  Archaic    Sanskrit,  but   in   the   modern  form  of  that 


(    71     ) 

language.  What  should  we  think  of  lines  of  Ciceronian  Latin 
found  in  the  Laws  of  the  Ten  Tables  ?  Again,  the  word  "  sudra  " 
is  of  unknown  origin,  and  not  grammatically  connected  with 
any  Vedic  word.  But. even  if  the  lines  be  genuine,  they  imply 
nothing  beyond  what  is  expressed  in  other  countries  in  poetic 
diction ;  in  other  words,  that  the  Priest  is  the  mouthpiece,  the 
Warrior  the  arm  of  defence,  the  Merchant  the  sinew,  and  the 
Working  Man  the  groundwork,  of  the  body  politic. 

In  this  argument,  however,  I  set  aside  the  Hindu  Scriptures, 
as  having  no  direct  relation  to  the  issue,  and  turn  to  the  reports  of 
the  last  official  Census  of  British  India,  as  I  have  to  deal  with 
Caste,  not  as  it  was  three  thousand  years  ago,  but  as  it  is  now, 
after  seven  hundred  years  of  Mahometan,  and  one  hundred  of 
Christian  domination. 

The  striking  results  are  that  there  are:  Brahmin,  ten  millions  ; 
Kshatriya,  five  millions  ;  other  Castes,  one  hundred  and  five 
millions ;  without  recorded  Caste,  ten  millions ;  Mahometan, 
fifty  millions  ;  Non-Arian,  eighteen  millions  ;  making  a  total  of 
one  hundred  and  ninety-eight  millions. 

Now,  taking  the  Province  under  the  Lieutenant-Governor  of 
Bangal  as  a  fair  sample  for  analysis,  I  find  out  of  a  total  of 
sixty-four  millions,  sixty-nine  specified  Castes,  although  the 
number  of  separate  tribes  and  Castes  is  calculated  at  little  less 
than  one  thousand  ;  and  if  the  minor  subdivisions,  such  as  gotra, 
sept,  and  clan,  are  taken  into  consideration,  the  number  will 
swell  to  many  thousands.  There  are  four  superior  and  three 
intermediate  Castes,  and  then  come  the  following :  trading, 
pastoral,  preparers  of  cooked  food,  agricultural,  general  servants, 
artizans,  weavers,  labourers,  sellers  of  fish  and  vegetables,  boat- 
men and  fishermen,  dancers,  musicians,  and  beggars.  In  the 
North-west  Provinces  there  are  two  hundred  and  ninety-one 
specified  Castes  ;  in  Oudh,  seventy-seven ;  in  the  Panjab,  nine- 
teen ;  in  the  Central  Provinces,  forty-eight ;  in  Bombay,  one 
hundred  and  forty  ;  in  Madras,  seventeen.  Clearly  the  takers  of 
the  Census  have  not  followed  out  the  same  principle  of  enumer- 
ation, and  upon  the  data  thus  supplied  it  is  not  possible  to 
arrive  at  an  accurate  detail  of  the  Castes  of  British  India,  but  it 
is  evident,  that  their  number  far  exceeds  what  was  contemplated 
by  the  ancient  men,  who  codified  the  Laws  of  Manu. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  for  a  moment,  that  the  members  of 
any  Caste  are  restricted  to  any  one  particular  trade,  profession, 
or  calling.  This  is  one  of  the  greatest  of  the  inaccuracies,  into 
which  writers  on  this  subject  have  fallen,  and  the  assertion,  that 
the  institution  of  Caste  confines  a  man  and  his  family  for  ever 
to  the  grade,  in  which  he  is  born,  prevents  his  rising  to  a  higher 
class  of  society,  whatever  may  be  his  character  and  merits,  will 
not  stand  the  test  of  inquiry.     The  history  of  the  Maratha  and 


(      72      ) 

Sikh  nations  tells  the  story  of  the  upheaving  of  the  lower  Castes  ; 
and  what  is  there  in  the  present  social  state  of  British  India  to 
prevent  a  duly  qualified  man  rising  to  the  highest  walks  of  life 
without  reference  to  his  origin  or  Caste  ?  Successful  adventurers 
are  known  to  improve  their  Castes  as  they  get  richer.  Fictitious 
Castes  are  a  device  as  common  as  fictitious  pedigrees.  The  ten 
millions  of  Brahmins  have  no  doubt  been  recruited  from  several 
inferior  Castes  and  from  the  issue  of  mixed  marriages,  for  their 
ranks  contain  specimens  of  the  most  opposite  physical  types. 
If  anyone  supposes  that  Brahmins,  as  a  general  rule,  are  engaged 
in  priestly  duties,  or  that  any  proportion  of  them  lay  claim  to 
any  arrogant  superiority  over  their  fellows,  he  is  greatly  mistaken. 
A  gentleman  is  always  a  gentleman,  and  the  long  hereditary 
culture  of  the  Brahmins  has  told  upon  their  appearance  and 
manners.  Their  ranks  supply  many  of  the  ablest  public  servants 
of  the  State,  though  by  no  means  a  majority  of  the  official 
ranks,  and  they  are  themselves  subdivided  into  so  many  numerous 
tribes,  that  a  kingdom,  composed  solely  of  the  ten  million 
Brahmins,  would  still  be  indelibly  streaked  by  Caste,  for  there 
are  as  many  subdivisions  of  Brahmins  as  there  are  great  Castes 
of  Hindus,  and  as  completely  separated  in  the  matters  of 
matrimony,  commensality,  and  social  intercourse.  The  Gour 
Brahmins  would  shudder  at  the  possibility  of  any  communion, 
beyond  that  of  general  acquaintance,  with  the  Kashmiri  Brahmins, 
who  represent  the  ablest  class  in  Upper  India,  but  are  eaters  of 
flesh  (excepting  beef)  and  drinkers  of  spirits,  which  are  abomi- 
nation to  the  Gour  Brahmins.  The  Saraswat  Brahmins,  who 
abound  in  the  Panjab,  eat  and  drink  with  the  Khatri  Caste,  and 
are  employed  in  servile  duties.  Nor  have  the  Brahmins  even  the 
monopoly  of  priestly  duties  or  of  sanctity  ;  at  many  shrines  other 
Castes  officiate.  With  the  great  Sikh  nation  the  Khatri  Caste 
has  quite  superseded  the  Brahmin.  In  the  Anglo-Indian  army 
there  is  an  abundance  of  Brahmin  soldiers  under  the  orders 
of  low-Caste  men  and  of  Mahometans.  Brahmins  are  always 
sought  after  by  Hindus  as  cooks,  a  useful  but  not  honourable 
or  sacred  position. 

The  Kshatriya  Caste,  if  existing  at  all,  is  represented  by 
the  Rajput  and  Khatri.  In  considering  the  Rajputs,  the  new 
anomaly  presents  itself,  that  thousands  of  these  have  become 
Mahometans,  but  still  claim  to  be  Rajputs,  keep  up  their  own 
family  customs  and  law  of  inheritance,  attend  the  weddings  of 
their  own  Hindu  tribal  brethren,  have  their  particular  bard  and 
family  priest.  No  intermarriage  and  actual  commensality  is 
possible  ;  but  still  it  is  a  wonderful  instance  of  the  elasticity  of 
the  Caste  system,  when  the  breakers  of  Caste  have  power  and 
numbers  on  their  side.  The  Raja  of  one  of  the  INIountain 
Rajput  States  in  the  Himalaya  is  a  Mahometan  Rajput,  ruling 


(     73     ) 

over  his  Hindu  brethren.  Rajputs  take  every  kind  of  service 
requiring  fidelity  or  strength  ;  Sut  the  arm  has  to  wield  the  pen 
as  well  as  the  sword,  and  at  a  period  probably  subsequent  to 
the  Laws  of  Manu  the  art  of  writing  was  imported  from  the 
West  into  India,  and  a  powerful  group  of  Castes,  uncontem- 
plated in  the  original  division  of  mankind,  came  into  existence, 
viz.  the  "  men  of  the  pen,"  or  the  Writer-Castes,  who  are  not 
likely  to  be  overlooked  or  crushed  in  any  part  of  the  world. 
They  are  known  by  different  names  in  many  parts  of  India,  such 
as  the  Khatri,  the  Kayat,  the  Parbhu,  but  it  must  not  be  supposed 
that  these  classes  monopolize  the  right  of  using  the  pen.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  follow  in  detail  the  other  hundreds  of 
Castes,  but,  imperfect  as  confessedly  our  knowledge  is  as  to  the 
ramification  of  Castes,  we  can  see  clearly,  that  religion  is  the 
smallest  factor  in  the  system.  For  the  sake  of  exhausting  the 
subject,  it  may  be  stated,  that  Caste  has  arisen  from  the  operation 
of  three  causes  :  (i)  religious  or  quasi-religious,  (2)  professional, 
(3)  ethnical.  We  can  hardly  suppose  that,  any  person  would 
argue,  that  the  origin  of  any  of  the  Castes,  bearing  obvious 
trade  and  professional  names,  was  religious,  as  such  are  clearly 
hereditary  guilds.  Still  less  could  it  be  urged,  that  the  Caste 
of  dancing-girls,  jugglers,  musicians,  beggars,  thieves,  and  other 
baser  occupations,  had  the  sanction  of  religion;  and  yet  the  great 
mass  of  the  population  is  divided  into  such  kinds  of  Caste,  and 
so  entirely  do  the  people  mix  up  the  questions  of  Caste  and 
profession,  that  a  watchman  is  generally  spoken  of  by  the  Caste 
to  which  he  belongs,  as  the  men  of  that  Caste  are  all  watchmen, 
and  the  great  backbone  of  the  population  of  the  Panjab  is 
described  indiscriminately  as  "Jat,"  which  is  their  Caste,  or 
Zemindar,  which  is  their  calling,  as  agriculturists. 

Those,  who  have  not  studied  the  mode,  in  which  the  motley 
population  of  India  has  been  built  up,  hardly  appreciate  at  its 
full  value  the  effect  of  the  ethnical  fissures  in  the  lower  strata. 
The  Chamars  of  the  North-west  Provinces  amount  to  three 
millions  and  a  half,  scattered  in  every  part  of  the  Province, 
employed  in  hereditary  servile  duties,  or  in  trades  of  an  offensive 
character,  allov/ing  themselves  the  licence  of  eating  carrion  or 
the  flesh  of  unclean  animals,  worshipping  other  gods  than  those 
of  the  Hindus,  who  avoid  even  their  touch.  In  every  village, 
moreover,  there  is  a  Helot  class,  engaged  in  servile  duties  as 
watchmen,  sweepers,  scavengers,  removers  of  the  dead,  contact 
with  whom  is  shunned,  as  that  of  the  Cagots  in  the  South  of 
France,  where  the  same  feeling  has  survived  the  European 
culture  of  many  centuries.  It  is  clear,  that  the  Shanars  of  South 
India  are  ethnically  distinct  from  the  rest  of  the  population. 
There  is  no  question,  that  all  such  races  or  tribes  are  of  non- 
Arian  origin,  which  have  not  accepted  the  thin  veneer  of  Hindu 


(    74    ) 

culture,  and  are  therefore  hated  and  shunned  as  out  of  the  pale 
of  Hindu  society,  and  at  the  same  time  not  strong  enough,  like 
the  Mahometan  and  Christian,  to  establish  a  rival  and  inde- 
pendent social  organization  of  their  own.  It  is  an  absurdity  to 
quote  the  famous  Vedic  "  Foot  and  Mouth"  stanza,  or  the  Laws 
of  Manu,  with  regard  to  such  classes,  as  those  Laws  bear  no 
relation  to  any,  who  are  not  Arian  in  origin,  or  who  have  not 
introduced  themselves  into  the  Arian  system.  The  Shanars 
worship  devils,  have  peculiar  customs,  and  it  is  no  matter  of 
surprise,  that  the  real  Hindu  of  Arian  origin,  and  those  of  the 
non-Arian,  who  have  advanced  to  a  certain  extent  up  the  ladder 
of  Arian  culture,  look  upon  them  with  abhorrence,  and  that  the 
antipathetic  feeling  of  a  superior  race  operates  here  as  strongly 
as  it  does  on  the  part  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  in  America  against 
the  Negro.  Men  must  be  more  than  men,  if  in  one  generation 
such  antipathies  could  be  softened  down.  The  lower  the  Caste, 
to  which  the  Semi-Hindu  has  climbed,  the  greater  the  jealousy 
felt  towards  those  outside  the  line.  Among  the  very  low  classes 
in  India  this  feeling  must  show  itself  by  such  outward  signs  as 
shunning  contact,  intermarriage  and  commensality,  as  their  life 
is  spent  in  the  streets  and  marketplace,  without  the  sanctity  and 
privacy  of  a  home,  by  which  the  richer  classes  keep  out  the 
unclean  and  the  common  herd. 

Under  a  native  Hindu  rule  it  is  more  than  probable,  that  the 
yoke  of  Caste  pressed  very  heavily  on  the  lower  classes,  but  the 
sting  is  very  much  taken  out  under  Mahometan  and  Christian 
rule.  Moreover,  I  call  attention  to  the  following  remarkable 
facts,  as  indicating  that  a  Caste  feeling  is,  as  it  were,  part  of  the 
common  law  of  the  Indian  people.  All  the  Hindu  sectarians, 
who  have  disturbed  the  peace  of  the  Brahmanical  system  in  a  , 
long  succession  for  several  centuries,  have,  like  the  Protestant 
Missionaries,  selected  the  Brahmins  as  the  object  of  their  idle 
abuse,  and  attempted  the  destruction  of  Caste  under  the  alleged 
vaunt  of  the  equality  of  mankind.  Slowly  and  surely  Caste  has 
forced  itself  back  again.  Buddhism,  which  was  based  upon  the 
abolition  of  Caste,  was  fairly  driven  out  of  India.  The  more 
plastic  Jain  accepted  Caste  and  a  transitional  position.  In  Ceylon 
the  Buddhists  even  exhibit  traces  of  Caste,  The  Sikhs  of  the 
Panjab,  after  a  long  tilt  against  Caste,  have  relaxed  their  rules 
and  relapsed  into  Caste.  A  band  of  celibate  ascetics,  or  vagrant 
beggars,  may  shake  off  Caste,  but  no  body  of  religionists  has 
ever  settled  down  in  India  to  decent  family  life  without  throwing 
round  a  fence  of  Caste  more  or  less  rigid.  The  non-Arian  races 
of  the  Hills,  as  they  settle  down  to  be  agriculturists  and  adopt 
a  semi-Hinduism,  of  their  own  free  will  assert  their  claim  to  a 
Caste  ;  and,  wonder  of  wonders  !  the  Mahometan,  who  in  Turkey, 
Arabia,  Egypt,  and  Afghanistan,  marries  any  one,  on  whom  his 


(    75     ) 

fancy  falls,  and  eats  and  drinks  with  the  European,  in  India  is 
particular  as  to  commensality,  and,  if  he  is  a  member  of  a 
respectable  tribe,  is  very  restricted  in  the  choice  of  a  wife.  The 
Census-report  shows,  that  Caste  is  almost  as  prevalent  among 
them  as  among  Hindus,  for  the  descendants  of  the  conquering 
races,  who  immigrated  from  Western  Asia,  the  Arab,  the  Persian, 
the  Mogul,  the  Turk,  and  the  Pathan,  generally  marry  each 
among  his  own  kith  and  kin.  The  Mahometan  Rajput  and  other 
of  the  good  Hindu  Castes,  who  became  Mahometan  in  the  time 
of  the  Empire,  keep  close  to  their  tribal  rules,  which  differ  from 
Caste  only  in  name.  The  lower  Mahometans,  converts  from  the 
non-Arian  races,  are  in  practice  less  rigid  ;  but  even  among 
them  increase  of  wealth  is  sometimes  accompanied  by  a  fictitious 
improvement  of  Caste-designation.  The  successful  corn-factor 
has  been  known  in  a  time  of  dearth  to  have  sprung  from  the 
ranks  of  the  Shaikh,  or  New  Mahometan,  to  that  of  Sayyid.  or 
descendant  of  the  Prophet,  and  the  self-asserting  pride  of  a 
Sayyid  is  only  equalled  by  that  of  a  Brahmin.. 

I  proceed  now  to  show,  how  the  strong  and  impartial  Govern- 
ment of  British  India  has  acted  with  a  view  of  disarming  and 
controlling  the  bad  and  exaggerated  features  of  Caste.  In  the 
State-Schools  and  Hospitals  the  difference  of  Caste  is  totally 
ignored.  All,  Avho  enter  there,  are  known  as  scholars  and 
patients.  In  the  railway-trains  the  community  is  reduced  to 
the  common  denomination  of  passengers.  We  have  heard  of 
Anglo-Saxon  colonies,  where  black  and  white  will  not  mix  on 
such  occasions.  In  the  Courts  of  Justice,  civil  and  criminal, 
all  subjects  of  the  Queen  are  absolutely  equal  in  theory  and 
practice.  A  Brahmin  murderer  would  be  hanged  at  Banaras 
without  benefit  of  clergy,  and  the  rights  of  the  lowest  Chamar 
■would  be  vindicated.  In  the  State-Prisons  all  are  associated 
together ;  but  a  prisoner  of  good  Caste  is  selected  as  cook,  as 
it  would  be  obviously  unjust  to  enhance  the  penalty  fixed  by  law 
for  a  particular  offence  by  adding  a  feature,  which  would  affect 
some  prejudicially,  but  not  all.  It  is  insisted,  that  the  wells  of  a 
village  are  available  to  all,  and  an  attempt  to  exclude  native 
Christian  converts  was  distinctly  put  a  stop  to.  Any  attempt  to 
exclude  men  of  lower  Caste  from  the  use  of  the  streets,  or  to 
prevent  males  and  females  from  wearing  such  dress  as  they 
chose,  would  not  be  tolerated  for  an  instant.  The  service  of 
State,  civil  and  military,  is  open  to  all,  and  men  of  the  highest 
Caste  are  constantly  subordinated  to  men  of  lower,  according  to 
their  position  in  the  service.  On  the  other  hand,  any  positive 
injury  caused  by  one  person  to  another,  entailing  injury  to  Caste, 
is  the  ground  of  an  action  for  Tort ;  thus  a  valuable  property  is 
recognized  as  existing.  Moreover,  the  native  Laws  of  Marriage 
and  Inheritance   are  accepted    by  the  Civil   Courts,   and  con- 


(  1^  ) 

sequently  the  issue  of  a  marriage,  contracted  contrary  to  the 
rules  of  Caste,  is  declared  illegitimate. 

How  has  society  dealt  with  Caste  ?  I  can  only  give  an  opinion 
based  upon  experience  acquired  in  a  solitary  life  among  the 
people  of  Upper  India,  where  Caste  is  at  its  highest  pressure, 
for  weeks  and  months  together,  without  any  European  companion. 
I  never  found  Caste  an  obstacle  to  social  intercourse,  nor  did 
the  subject  ever  press  itself  forward,  and  yet  the  population  of 
the  villages  and  towns  visited  each  day  differed  considerably. 
Few  villages  were  absolutely  without  Mahometans,  none  without 
men  of  the  lowest  Caste,  and  in  the  thronging  of  an  Indian 
crowd  there  must  be  indiscriminate  contact.  In  my  establish- 
ment there  were  Brahmins,  with  whom  I  transacted  ordinary 
business,  Rajputs,  who  carried  my  messages,  Khatri  and  Kayat, 
who  engrossed  my  orders.  Mahometan  and  Hindu  sat  upon 
the  floor  working  side  by  side  ;  and,  if  the  half-Caste  Christian 
sat  at  a  table  to  write  English  letters,  it  was  only  because  the 
method  of  English  correspondence  requires  this  distinction. 
My  own  tent  was  daily  thronged  by  men  of  all  Castes  and  position 
in  life,  and  my  visits  to  the  male  apartments  of  the  notables  was 
considered  an  honour,  and  yet  of  all  outcastes  the  European  is  the 
worst,  as  he  asserts  his  right  to  eat  both  beef  and  pork.  Thus 
professors  of  different  religions  mingle  in  social  life  without  any 
unpleasant  friction  :  each  man  respects  his  neighbour ;  he  has 
no  wish,  indeed,  to  intermarry  with  the  family  of  his  neighbour, 
or  share  the  cup  and  platter  of  his  neighbour,  but  he  does  not 
consider  himself  in  the  least  superior  or  inferior. 

In  one  sense,  and  one  sense  only.  Caste  may  be  said  to  be 
religious.  All  that  remains  to  the  non-Mahometan  population  of 
India,  the  religious  idea  and  instinct,  has  centuries  ago  shrunk, 
into  the  notion  of  Caste,  just  as  in  Europe  in  the  Middle  Ages 
all  that  to  many  men  remained  of  religion  was  a  keen  sense  of 
personal  honour.  Now  both  Caste  and  Honour  restrain  a  man's 
actions  from  what  is  contrary  to  the  rules  of  the  brotherhood, 
and  is  dishonourable,  and  often  from  crime,  in  a  w-ay,  in  which 
nothing  else  will  restrain  them,  and  in  that  sense  Caste  and 
Honour  may  be  said  to  be  religious  sanctions,  but  in  no  other ; 
and  no  wise  legislator  would  venture  to  do  aught  to  weaken  such 
sanctions,  the  existence  of  which  mark  a  certain  progress  in 
civilization. 

I  cannot  see  that  Caste  is  an  evil  of  the  kind  and  degree,  which 
it  is  imagined  to  be.  In  an  exaggerated  and  self-asserting  form 
it  would  certainly  be  an  evil  under  a  Hindu  system  of  Government 
of  the  stiff  and  intolerant  form  of  modern  religious  creeds ;  but 
tolerance  has  ever  been  of  the  essence  of  the  Hindu  system, 
and  in  British  India  the  claws  of  Caste  have  been  cut  by  a 
strong  and  impartial   Government,  and  the  social  pressure  of 


(    17    ) 

a  population,  made  up  of  various  elements  which  would  not 
submit  to  oppression.  I  submit,  that  in  Europe  classes  lie  in 
strata  horizontally,  and  that  in  India  the  separation  is  by  vertical 
fissures.  I  have  known  men  of  good  Caste  and  social  position 
as  gentlemen,  who  were  not  ashamed  to  have  in  their  families 
near  relations  in  the  grade  of  menial  or  cook.  Now  such  a  state 
of  affairs  would  be  impossible  in  Europe,  and  marks  the 
enormous  divergence  of  social  customs. 

Viewing  the  matter,  therefore,  from  the  point  of  view  of  a 
statesman,  a  moralist,  an  advocate  for  civil  and  religious  liberty, 
education,  and  progress,  I  can  see  nothing  in  the  National 
custom  of  Caste,  that  requires  any  interference  from  the  Legis- 
lature. I  recognize  the  existence  in  different  nations  of  an 
infinite  variety  of  family  customs,  habits  and  tendencies,  and, 
where  they  are  prejudicial  to  the  better  interests  of  the  human 
race,  the  work  of  amelioration  may  be  left  to  time,  education, 
intercourse  with  other  nations,  and  general  intellectual  progress. 

Lecture  at  the  National  Indian  Association,  London,  1879. 


B. — Caste  in  the  Christian  Church. 

There  exists  an  ancient  Custom  in  British  India  among  the 
whole  of  the  Arian  and  a  portion  of  the  Dravidian  population, 
known  by  the  name  of  Caste  in  English,  Jati  in  the  Vernacular, 
and  Varna  in  the  sacred  languages.  This  Custom  does  not 
extend  to  British  Barma,  or  to  the  Buddhist  portion  of  Ceylon 
to  an  appreciable  extent,  nor  is  it  rigorously  adopted  by  the 
non-Arian  Races  of  India,  the  Dravidian,  Kolarian,  and  Tibeto- 
Barman  Races,  which  have  remained  uninfluenced  by  the 
Brahmanical  Religion.  On  the  other  hand,  those  Hindus,  who 
have  adopted  the  Mahometan  Faith,  and  the  vast  number  of 
non-Arians,  who  have  attached  themselves  to  the  lower  strata 
of  the  great  Brahmanical  Polity,  and,  strange  to  say,  the 
descendants  of  the  Afghan,  Tartar,  Persian,  and  Arab  immi- 
grants, who  during  the  last  eight  hundred  years  have  floated 
into  India  upon  each  Mahometan  wave  of  invasion,  have  sensibly, 
and  unmistakably,  adopted  the  Custom,  as  a  mark  of  respecta- 
bility, and  though  they  talk  only  of  Tribes,  and  not  of  Castes, 
yet  are  under  the  same  yoke,  as  regards  Matrimony  and 
Commensality. 

In  a  Lecture  which  I  read  in  1879  before  the  National  Indian 
Association,  I  discussed  the  nature  of  this  Custom,  and  the 
infinite  variety  of  its  primary  and  secondary  divisions.  I  showed 
how  the  claws  of  a  Custom,  which  might  possibly  be  intolerant, 
had  been  cut  by  the  long  domination  of  the  Mahometan,  and 


(     7S     ) 

the  uncompromising  system  of  the  British  Administration,  based 
on  absolute  equality  of  man  with  man  in  the  Courts  of  Criminal 
and  Civil  Justice,  the  Public  Service,  the  Railways,  the  Schools, 
and  Hospitals.  I  pointed  out  how  mistaken  was  the  idea,  that 
a  man  was  in  any  way  compelled  to  follow  the  profession  of  his 
Father,  or  was  in  any  way  debarred  from  his  rights  as  a  Free 
Agent,  My  conclusion  was,  that  there  was  nothing  in  this 
ancient  Custom,  as  limited  by  British  practice  rather  than  Law, 
that  prevented  any  of  Her  Majesty's  subjects  discharging  his 
duty  to  the  State  ;  that  the  Custom  was  so  far  guaranteed  by  the 
State,  that  an  action  lay  in  the  Civil  Courts  for  Tort  on  the 
ground  of  wilful  breach  of  Caste,  and  that  the  issue  of  children 
born  of  Hindu  unions,  entered  into  contrary  to  the  rules  of 
Caste,  were  illegitimate,  and  did  not  inherit.  The  Custom  there- 
fore did  not  deserve  the  wholesale  abuse  showered  down  upon 
it  by  certain  persons.  I  reprinted  in  1881  my  Lecture  in  my 
"  Pictures  of  Indian  Life,"  and  I  believe  that  my  sentiments 
on  this  subject  are  shared  by  all  Statesmen,  who  are  acquainted 
with,  and  interested  in,  the  People  of  India.  On  this  subject 
therefore  I,  and  many  other  ardent  supporters  of  Missions,  are 
at  direct  issue  with  a  great  body  of  Missionaries.  I  believe 
them  to  be  thoroughly  mistaken. 

In  the  course  of  discussion,  w-hich  ensued  after  my  Lecture  had 
been  read,  a  gentleman  of  great  experience  in  India,  formerly 
an  Editor  of  one  of  the  best  English  Newspapers,  remarked, 
that  I  had  not  touched  upon  the  relation  of  Caste  to  the 
Christian  Church.  My  reply  was,  that  the  National  Indian 
Association  was  not  the  proper  arena  for  such  a  discussion.  I 
had  already  brought  it  prominently  forward  in  a  Missionary 
Society,  with  which  I  am  more  particularly  connected,  and  now 
I  proceed  to  ventilate  the  subject  in  the  pages  of  a  Religious 
Periodical. 

I  honour  the  Christian  Missionaries,  who  devote  their  talents, 
and  their  lives,  to  the  benefit  of  Asiatic,  African  and  Oceanic 
races.  But  it  must  needs  be,  that  they  go  out  early  in  life,  and 
the  necessity  of  the  language  ties  them  to  one  field.  Their 
views  thus  become  narrowed  to  their  own  environment.  The 
Missionary  from  China  writes  and  speaks,  as  if  the  world  could 
be  converted,  but  for  the  sale  of  opium  and  the  hostile  action 
of  the  Chinese  educated  classes.  The  Missionary  from  India 
is  overpowered  by  the  opposition  caused  by  Caste  and  Secular 
Education.  The  Missionary  in  Africa  tells  sad  stories  of  human 
sacrifice,  witchcraft,  cannibalism,  and  Polygamy.  And  so  on 
in  the  other  fields.  The  Missionary  in  China  or  Barma  docs  not 
feel  any  sensible  advantage  from  the  absence  of  Caste.  The 
Missionary  in  Africa  looks  rather  longingly  for  Secular  Edu- 
cation, and  repression  of  monstrous  crimes.     The  experienced 


(    79    ) 

and  enlightened  Missionary  in  each  field  is  generally  silent  on 
such  topics,  for  he  feels,  that  it  is  the  same  depravity  of  the 
human  heart,  which  opposes  him  in  a  different  development  in 
different  parts  of  the  world. 

In  that  portion  of  the  so-called  Kingdom  of  Satan,  which  is 
known  to  Geographers  as  British  India,  I  have  spent  a  quarter 
of  a  century,  and  loved  the  people  very  dearly,  because  I  became 
aware  of  their  excellences  by  familiar  contact.  No  doubt  the 
scum  of  the  Bazaar  of  a  "great  town  is  no  more  a  fair  representa- 
tion of  a  great  nation,  than  the  roughsof  London  are  of  the 
British  people.  The  strong  and  impartial  British  Government 
has  paved  the  way  for  the  Missionary  by  putting  down,  with  a 
high  hand,  all  abominable  customs,  which  are  contrary  to  laws 
Human  and  Divine,  such  as  human  sacrifices,  burning  of 
widows,  burying  of  lepers  alive,  female  infanticide,  traffic  in 
slaves,  mutilation  of  the  body,  and  so  forth.  An  enlightened 
Government  of  the  Nineteenth  Century  does  not  interfere  with 
morals,  and  leaves  drunkenness,  profligacy,  and  the  use  of  bad 
language,  to  be  counteracted  by  the  moral  and  religious  in- 
fluences of  the  people,  and  by  their  spiritual  guides,  restricting 
itself  to  the  punishment  of  offences,  scheduled  in  the  Criminal 
Code.  But  besides  these  things  in  Oriental  Countries,  there 
exists  a  group  of  customs,  objectionable  per  se,  yet  not  such  as 
to  warrant  the  interference  of  an  enlightened  Ruler.  These 
are  domestic  Slavery  of  the  gentle  and  patriarchal  type,  child 
marriage,  Polygamy,  cremation  of  the  dead,  painting  or  searing 
of  the  face  and  limbs,  circumcision  and  Caste.  These  are  Old- 
World  customs.  We  hear  of  them  in  the  infancy  of  other 
nations,  who  have  outgrown  them  ;  but  unluckily  customs  in 
India  survive  in  a  hard  and  crystallized  form,  and  the  people  are 
very  conservative.  I  can  quite  imagine  an  enthusiastic  young 
Missionary  being  shocked  at  any,  or  all,  of  these  customs,  and 
wondering,  why  they  are  not  at  once  suppressed.  But  those, 
who  have  had  experience  in  ruling  Oriental  Nations,  know,  that 
the  attempt  to  do  so  would  fail,  might  cause  the  loss  of  Empire, 
would  certainly  entail  loss  of  life  in  rebellion,  and  do  more 
harm  than  good.  The  work  of  amelioration  must  be  left  to 
time,  education,  intercourse  with  other  nations,  and  general 
intellectual  progress. 

So  speaks  the  Statesman.  But  the  Evangelist  seeks  to  gather 
into  his  nascent  Church  souls  to  be  saved,  and  he  appeals  to  a 
higher  than  human  Law.  He  admits,  that  offences  against  morals 
occur  quite  as  much  among  Christians  as  among  Heathen,  and 
must  be  left  to  the  discipline  of  the  Church,  and  the  influence 
of  the  Pastor,  for  they  are  recurring  evils,  from  which  none  are 
safe  until  death.  But  he  at  once  puts  his  foot  down  upon  some 
of  the   Old-World  customs,   above  described,   and  insists   that 


(     80     ) 

Polygamy,  cremation  of  the  dead,  circumcision,  Caste-marks  on 
the  face,  must  cease,  as  a  condition  precedent  to  Baptism.  He 
declares  the  right  of  the  widow  to  re-marry,  and,  if  any  remnant 
of  domestic  Slavery  remained,  he  would  denounce  it,  and  do  his 
best  to  get  rid  of  it.  But  if  he  be  wise  (and  Missionaries  do 
not  always  possess  the  wisdom  of  this  world),  he  will  analyze  the 
ancient  custom  of  Caste,  and  make  the  abandonment  of  certain 
portions  an  essential,  reserve  certain  portions  for  pastoral  ad- 
monition, and  leave  other  portions  alone,  for  the  simple  reason, 
that  to  oppose  them  is  to  war  against  the  common  feeling  of 
Human  Nature  : 

Naturam   expelles  furca,   tamen  usque  recurret. 

In  analyzing  the  Census  of  British  India,  I  find  that  the  great 
Indian  Nation  is  made  up  of  most  conflicting  elements  as  regards 
Race,  Religion,  Language  and  State  of  Culture.  Under  the 
pressure  of  a  strong  foreign  Government,  a  certain  amount  of 
fusion  has  taken  place,  and  this  process  is  slowly  advancing 
year  by  year.  But  the  Nation  has  never  yet  learnt  to  forget, 
that  it  is  only  an  amalgam  of  very  discordant  materials,  which 
discordancy  is  intensified  by  segregation  from  the  rest  of  the 
world,  religious  dogma,  fashioned  in  the  interest  of  a  dominant 
class,  and  the  universal  practice  of  what  is  known  in  Europe 
as  Trade-Unions,  and  ancestral  occupations  and  possessions. 
Insensibly  rigid  rules  have  surrounded  Marriage  and  Commen- 
sality  ;  this  leads  on  to  the  feeling,  that  one  stratum,  or  rather 
vertical  slice  of  society,  is  different  from  another,  and  the  whole 
culminates  in  pride,  overbearing  conduct,  and,  if  opportunity 
offered,  social  ostracizing.  But  if  an  educated  man  of  an 
ordinary  Caste  is  asked,  he  will  at  once  admit,  that  his  Caste  is 
not  superior  to,  but  only  d iff er'ent  from,  that  of  his  neighbour. 

For  a  moment  let  me  turn  aside  from  India,  and,  looking  round 
us,  let  me  consider  the  phenomenon  of  Caste,  as  developed  from 
ethnical  and  social  causes,  in  the  United  States,  a  land  of  strict 
equality  of  man  with  man,  as  regards  the  Negro ;  as  regards  the 
Bantu  tribes  in  the  Cape  Colony  ;    and  in  Great  Britain. 

Sir  George  Campbell  made  a  tour  in  the  United  States  in 
1878,  and  carefully  considered  the  relation  of  the  antagonist 
races  to  each  other.     His  conclusions  are  that : 

The  separation  of  the  two  castes  is  becoming  more  pronounced  than  ever  ; 
that  since  the  admission  of  the  Blacks  to  political  equality,  the  movement 
has  been  rather  against  social  equality  than  otherwise  ;  that  there  are  entirely 
separate  Black  churches ;  that  the  difficulty  about  public  conveyance  had 
been  got  over,  and  all  travel  together,  which  is  a  great  step  in  advance  ; 
that,  as  is  the  case  with  the  Hindu,  no  Intermarriage  or  Commensality  is 
possible  ;  that  there  is  universal  separation  in  the  public  schools,  at  the  wish 
of  the  Blacks,  though  good  feeling  and  good  temper  are  exhibited  in  daily 
relations  ;  that  half-castes,  even  when  quite  fair  in  complexion,  go  to  the  Black 


(     8i     ) 

schools  ;  that  the  Caste  system  must  be  accepted  as  a  fact ;  that  the  most  pro- 
nounced philo-negro  in  the  States  would  recoil  from  the  idea  of  intermarriage, 
7ukich  IS  positively  prohibited  by  la-M  in  most  of  the  States  ;  that  Christianity  might 
effect  much  to  bring  the  races  together,  but  not  for  the  present. 

I  quote  his  concluding  words  : 

To  one  accustomed  to  see  great  communities  in  India,  where  varieties  of 
Caste  do  not  interfere  with  union  in  a  common  social  system  ;  where,  on  the 
contrary,  Caste  but  represents  a  variety  of  occupations  and  functions  in  the 
same  system,  the  existence  of  two  Castes  in  America  does  not  seem  to  present 
an  insuperable  obstacle  to  well-being.  In  India  all  the  Castes  live  very  well 
together,  and  support  one  another,  by  each  contributing  their  functions  to  the 
village  existence.  It  is  hard,  then,  that  in  the  United  States  two  Castes  cannot 
co-exist,  supposing  that  means  of  amalgamating  them  are  not  found. 

In  Soutli  Africa  I  have  an  unexceptional  witness  in  Mr. 
Anthony  TroUope.  At  the  great  Lovedale  Missionary  Institution 
of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland,  the  boys  and  girls,  black  and 
white,  are  described  as  intermixed.  But  the  European  boys 
would  not  come  to  the  school,  if  compelled  to  eat  with  the 
Kafirs.  Any  idea  of  intenriarriage  with  the  two  races  would  not 
be  thought  of. 

Lastly,  in  Great  Britain,  where  all  are  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  or 
kindred  races,  and  no  differences  exist  of  Customs,  or  Colour, 
can  we  truthfully  say,  that  there  are  not  restrictions  upon  Inter- 
marriage and  Commensality,  which  have  the  essence,  though  not 
the  natiie  of  Caste  }  The  law,  indeed,  does  not  hold  the  penalty 
of  illegitimacy  over  unequal  marriages,  but  would  the  most 
devoted  servant  of  God,  lay  or  clerical,  in  a  better  class  of  life, 
relish  the  marriage  of  his  son  or  daughter  to  the  pious  pew- 
opener  }  Or  would  he  admit  to  his  table  the  upright,  though 
unsavoury,  scavenger  }  Has  any  of  our  European  ^Missionaries 
as  yet  admitted  a  native  of  India  to  the  honour  of  being  his 
son-in-law.?  Is  it  not  the  fact,  that  the  white  Missionary  forms 
a  Caste  with  superior  position  and  superior  emoluments  to  the 
native  and  half-caste  .?  And  I  do  not  deny  that  it  is  right,  that 
it  should  be  so.  The  Englishman  landed  in  India  considers 
himself,  however  low  in  the  strata  of  English  society,  to  be 
superior  to  the  highest  Indian.  But  to  the  eye  of  the  Ethnologist 
the  position  of  the  superior  native  Caste  is  as  much  removed 
above  the  lower  (and  they  feel  it  as  much  to  be  so),  as  the 
Englishman,  rightly  or  wrongly,  thinks  himself  above  the  Indian 
referred  to.  Even  in  Africa  we  find  traces  of  Caste  among 
some,  if  not  among  all  tribes.  In  fact,  self-respect  and  dawning 
civilization  first  evidence  themselves  in  tribes  becoming  par- 
ticular about  Marriage  and  Commensality.  I  do  not  for  one 
moment  deny,  that  the  custom  is  developed  in  India  in  a  more 
rigid  and  unpleasant  form  than  elsewhere.  But  what  I  do 
maintain  is,  that  it  is  but  a  tree  grown  up  to  an  extravagant 
height  and  bulk  from  the  same  germ,  which  is  found,  more  or 
less,  in  every  community  of  men. 

PART    11.  7 


(     82     ) 

In  the  Mission  Field  I  read  the  remarks  of  Sir  Frederick 
Goldsmid  : 

It  is  easy  to  say  to  a  Native  of  India  that  Caste  is  not  acknowleged  in  Europe, 
but  the  natives  would  see  that  the  very  fact,  that  it  is  not  acknowledged  makes 
the  shapeless  sentiment  so  difficult  to  deal  with,  that  it  becomes  a  barrier  of 
actual  separation.  We  have  Castes  in  Europe,  and  Castes  totally  opposed  to 
the  spirit  of  Christianity,  as  regards  colour,  birth,  education,  wealth,  and  fashion. 

To  myself,  with  all  my  recollections  of  valued  friends  left 
behind  me  in  India,  whose  features  and  voices  live  in  my  memory, 
and  some  of  whose  portraits  still  decorate  my  walls,  it  is  matter 
of  no  small  surprise  to  hear  these  good  easy  people,  amiable 
and  ignorant,  tolerant  and  affectionate,  described  in  a  Missionary 
periodical,  March,  1879,  as  practising 

A  custom  fraught  with  destruction  to  their  souls,  utterly  divorced  from 
morality,  a  custom  which  eats  out  human  sympathy,  annihilates  fellow-feeling, 
renders  the  heart  cruel  and  callous,  and  dams  up  the  stream  of  affection. 

I  can  scarcely  believe,  that  my  Brahmin  and  Khatri  friends, 
who  still  send  me  letters,  though  they  can  never  hope  for 
any  advantage  at  my  hands,  and  tell  me  about  their  children 
and  our  mutual  friends,  Christian,  Mahometan,  and  Hindu, 
without  distinction  of  race  or  religion,  are 

Slaves  of  a  system  which  tends,  more  than  anything  else  the  Devil  has 
invented,  to  destroy  the  feelings  of  general  benevolence,  and  make  three-fourths 
of  mankind  the  hopeless  slaves  of  the  other  ;  that  it  was  an  invention  of  the 
author  of  evil,  the  father  of  lies,  by  which  he  enthralls  millions  of  souls  ;  that 
it  is  Satan's  masterpiece,  Satan's  chief  institution,  the  monster  evil  of  India, 
obstructive  to  all  efforts  for  the  improvement  of  the  tcinporal  condition  of  the 
people,  as  well  as  a  soul-destroying  influence. 

It  is  sad  to  read  such  a  foolish  tirade  as  this,  for  the  spirit  of 
it  is  foreign  to  the  precepts  of  Christ.  It  may  be  called  tall 
talk,  and  indeed  foolish  talk  ;  or  it  may  only  be  a  flowery, 
oratorical  way  of  implying,  that  the  writer  disapproved  of  Caste. 
And,  no  doubt,  with  a  tabula  rasa.  Caste,  as  well  as  many  other 
time-honoured  customs,  might  be  dispensed  with.  But  we 
have  to  deal  with  a  Nation  as  we  find  it,  and  it  is  idle  to  say, 
that  the  Indians  with  Caste  are  not  as  prosperous,  as  advanced 
in  Culture,  Arts,  and  Sciences,  as  benevolent,  law-abiding, 
tt-mperate,  moral,  and,  in  their  own  way,  as  religious  as  the 
Chinese,  with  whom  Caste  has  never  prevailed.  Nor  do  we  find 
in  Ceylon,  Barma,  China,  and  Japan,  though  the  people  are 
entirely  free  from  this  snare  of  Satan,  that  the  Gospel  makes 
greater  progress  on  account  of  its  absence.  In  truth,  people, 
who  are  free  from  Caste,  or  opium-eating,  or  cannibalism,  are 
still  far  from  God,  and  the  educated  classes  of  China,  the 
Brahmins  of  India,  and  the  Medicine-men  of  Africa,  are  but 
the  Pharisees  of  the  Scriptures,  or  the  good  old  Conservatives 
of  modern  time,  who  stand  on   their  old  ways,   and,  right  or 


(     S3     ) 

wrong,  will  not  listen  to  new  doctrines.     A  learned  and  devoted 
Bishop  has  wisely  remarked,  that  the 

Christian  Church  has  no  commission  to  bring  all  Nations  to  any  other 
uniformity  than  that  of  the  Faith.  She  must  leave  National  habits  and  customs 
(not  amounting  to  deliberate  sins,  or  crimes  by  law)  alone.  The  Spirit  of 
Jesus  will,  in  its  own  good  time,  by  the  influence  of  Preaching,  Teaching,  and 
Example,  workout  the  special  type  of  Culture,  Civilization,  and  Social  Habit, 
which  is  good,  or  at  least  possible,  under  the  political  and  physical  circum- 
stances of  the  country. 

The  evils  of  Caste  have  been  intensified  to  the  Christian 
Missionary  by  the  policy  adopted  of  working  from  the  lower 
strata  of  Society  up  to  the  higher.  Unquestionably  the  souls  of 
the  meanest  have  the  same  value  as  those  of  the  highest,  and 
the  Gospel  was  specially  meant  for  the  poor.  St.  Paul,  however, 
clearly  addressed  the  better  classes.  St.  Augustine  went  to  the 
King,  and  the  Church  of  England  was  not  based  upon  the 
scavengers,  and  lowest  herdsmen  of  the  Nation.  The  Pagans 
were  the  last  to  become  Christians.  However,  we  must  grapple 
with  the  phenomenon  as  it  exists,  viz.  a  Church,  consisting 
mainly  of  non-Arians,  members  of  the  lowest  ranks  of  Society, 
of  inferior  Castes,  so  low  that  the  Sudra  Caste,  which  in  general 
estimation  is  the  lowest  round  of  the  ladder,  becomes,  by  the 
discovery  of  lower  outcaste  depths,  one  of  dignity.  It  must  be 
remembered,  that  in  India,  as  elsewhere,  the  lower  the  Caste,  the 
more  particular  and  precise  are  the  rules  to  protect  it.  These 
converts  have  had  no  sacrifice  of  social  status  to  make  when 
they  accepted  their  new  Faith.  But  the  fact  of  their  numbers, 
and  the  defilement  of  their  old  and  present  occupations,  still 
sticking  to  their  skirts,  presents  a  frightful  stumbling-block  to 
the  man  of  Education,  of  Position,  and  of  Social  Estimation, 
who  is  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  become  a  Christian.  Let 
any  reader  of  these  pages  faithfully  apply  such  circumstances  to 
himself,  and  to  his  family  circle,  and  judge. 

The  Church  of  Christ  is,  however,  a  new  Society,  one  with 
the  highest  morality,  the  grandest  aspirations,  and  the  most 
precious  promises.  IMen  upon  entering  such  a  Society,  and 
becoming  inheritors  of  such  promises,  must  be  prepared  to 
make  sacrifices.  The  unclean  must  be  no  longer  unclean ;  the 
opium-smoker  must  no  longer  debase  himself;  the  cannibal 
must  no  longer  indulge  his  abominable  appetite  ;  the  bloody 
man  must  no  longer  take  away  life ;  the  proud  man  must  admit, 
(X  afiimo,  that  all  before  God  are  equal ;  that  the  worship  of  God 
is  common  to  all  without  distinction  of  person ;  that  Christ 
died  for  all ;  that  the  Ministers  of  God  and  Teachers  of  His 
Truth  are  to  be  listened  to  and  respected  without  reference  to 
their  origin.  These  are  essential  conditions  precedent,  and  may 
thus  be  formularized  : 

1.  Frank  admission  of  the  equality  of  all  men  before  God. 


(     84     ) 

II.  No  separation  of  Churches  or  of  Seats  in  Churches 
except  for  the  sexes. 

III.  Partaking  of  the  same  Bread  and  Wine  from  the  same 
Cup  and  Platter,  at  the  same  time  without  distinction. 

IV.  Social  intercourse  with  ordained  Ministers  and  Office- 
holders of  the  Church,  in  the  Homes,  the  School,  and  Church. 

V.  Abandonment  of  Circumcision,  Caste-marks,  Notions 
of  ceremonial  defilement,  and  belief  in  Witchcraft,  Sooth- 
saying, or  Spirits. 

VI.  No  separation  of  high  and  low  Castes  in  Burial-grounds. 
It  is  unnecessary  to  allude  to  savage  and  inhuman  customs,  as 

the  Laws  of  Anglo-India  have  stamped  them  out.  For  Office- 
holders of  the  Church,  both  Lay  and  Ordained,  a  fuller  and 
more  thorough  compliance  with  the  spirit  of  the  above  must  be 
insisted  upon,  as  the  condition  of  office. 

But  outside  such  conditions  are  two  important  factors  of 
Human  Society,  Commensality  and  Intermarriage.  The 
founders  of  the  Indian  Church  have  no  authority  to  lay  upon 
that  Church  a  greater  burden  than  is  imposed  upon  the  English 
Church.  Let  us  consider  these  subjects  calmly  but  firmly.  The 
Laws  of  Anglo-India  have  guaranteed  the  Customs,  having  the 
force  of  Law,  with  regard  to  Marriage  and  Inheritance.  The 
Convert,  however,  must  at  once  surrender  his  legal  right  to 
Polygamy.  No  right  of  divorce  can  survive  his  change  of 
Religion,  for  these  practices  are  absolutely  forbidden  by  the 
words  of  our  Lord,  "  Male  and  Female  created  He  them."  But 
the  Missionary  must  pause,  ere  he  ventures  upon  the  gross 
tyranny  of  insisting  upon  his  converts  associating  and  eating 
together,  except  by  spontaneous  action,  and  avoid  the  still  more 
violent  infringement  of  natural  Equity  in  enforced  Inter- 
marriages. Such  conduct  might  involve  the  Missionary  in  a 
Criminal  Prosecution,  or  an  action  for  Civil  damages. 

There  are  notorious  instances  of  excellent  Christians,  of  good 
social  position  and  Caste,  who,  when  they  had  occasion  to  be 
married,  went  long  distances  at  considerable  expense  to  find  a 
Christian  wife  of  their  own  Caste  and  station  in  life,  instead  of 
helping  themselves,  as  many  iMissionaries  would  suggest,  from  the 
senior  class  of  the  Mission  Girls'  School,  consisting  of  low-Caste, 
though  excellent,  and  educated  young  women. 

Some  of  the  Protestant  Missionaries  are  as  unreasonable  in 
denouncing  Caste  in  the  Christian  Church  as  the  Roman 
Catholics  are  in  denouncing  Freemasonry.  I  cannot  say  that  I 
think  highly  of  either  institution.  But  the  roots  of  both  lie 
deep  in  the  soil,  and  both  have  a  side  of  goodness.  It  is  vain 
to  run  counter  to  the  deep  currents  of  human  opinion,  and 
institutions,  such  as  these,  will  last  as  long  as  the  world  lasts. 
It  scarcely  lies  in  the  mouths  of  those  Societies,  who  plead  for  the 


(    85     ) 

independence  of  the  Native  Churches,  both  at  present  and  in 
future,  to  interfere  with  their  Social  Customs,  and  attempt  to 
bind  the  Indian  congregations  with  ropes  of  tow,  which  will  be 
snapped  at  once.  The  Native  Christians  already  show  signs  of 
desiring  for  themselves  a  Church  modified  to  some  extent  in  its 
forms  and  ceremonies  so  as  to  suit  Oriental  notions.  And  a 
modified  form  of  Caste,  limited  to  Rules  of  Intermarriage  and 
Commensality,  will,  we  may  depend  upon  it,  ever  be  found  a 
feature  in  any  such  Native  Indian  Church. 

The  merits  and  the  good  points  of  the  character  of  the  Indian 
people  are  without  number.  They  are  very  docile  ;  though  not 
entirely  free  from  the  curse  of  drink,  yet  not  habitual  drunkards, 
and  quite  amenable  to  reason  in  such  matters  ;  Polygamy, 
where  it  does  exist  (and  it  is  exceptional),  is  very  different  from 
the  Polygamy  of  Africa ;  and,  if  intoxicating  drugs  are  indulged 
in,  the  cases  are  rare  ;  assassination,  secret  societies,  and  blood 
feuds  are  unknown.  It  is  doubly  unwise  of  the  Missionary  in 
these  conditions  to  tilt  against  a  brick  wall,  and  to  step  aside 
from  his  obvious  duties  of  preaching  the  Gospel.  As  to  Mission- 
ary Boarding  Schools,  or  any  other  similar  Institutions  of  a 
benevolent  character,  such  conditions  can  be  imposed  as  seem 
proper  to  the  benefactors,  and  it  would  be  ludicrous  to  allow 
the  least  atom  of  Caste  to  be  maintained  in  such  Institutions. 
The  State  would  not  tolerate  it  in  the  Ferries,  the  Railway- 
Carriage,  the  School,  or  the  Hospital. 

Let  us  recollect  that  the  "  Kingdom  of  God  "  is  not  meat,  or 
drink,  or  marriage  ;  that  things  much  worse  than  Caste  exist 
in  the  English  Church  after  centuries  of  Christianity ;  that  the 
practical  man  considers  what  is  possible  and  equitable,  not  what 
is  abstractedly  desirable,  as  if  he  had  to  deal  with  an  Utopia ; 
and,  finally,  that  a  word  can  be  said  in  favour  of  Caste ;  for 
the  feeling  of  Caste  in  England  makes  a  gentleman  polite,  a 
tradesman  honest,  a  soldier  brave,  and  a  woman  circumspect 
in  her  conduct. 

I  now  proceed  to  quote  upon  this  important  question  some 
opinions  of  men  whose  judgments  are  worth  recording. 

Sir  H.  Maine,  in  his  "Village  Communities,"  writes: 

Caste  is  merely  a  name  for  trade  and  occupation,  and  the  sole  tangible  effect 
of  the  Brahmanical  theory  is,  that  it  creates  a  religious  sanction  for  what  is 
really  a  primitive  and   natural   distribution    of  classes. 

Bishop  Daniel  Wilson,  after  recapitulating,  very  much  as  given 
in  my  six  Rules,  the  matters  of  Church  Order,  which  he  must 
insist  upon,  in  supercession  of  Caste  prejudices,  closes  thus  : 

I  do  not  interfere  with  your  national  customs,  or  with  matters  of  dress  and 
food  ;  but  old  heathenish  customs  must  be  relinquished. 

Bishop  Gell,  of  Madras  (1868),  writes  on  the  importance  of 
Exchanging  the  distinctions  of  Caste  for  those  of  rank,  education,  and  the  like. 


(     86    ) 

This  oliject  must  be  obtained,  not  by  coercive  measures,  but  by  persuasion, 
and  the  power  of  the  truth  of  Christ,  working  upon  the  prejudiced  heart  ;  and 
by  the  use  of  every  opportunity  for  making  advances  without  irritating. 

In  the  ofificial  organ  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel  (December,  1877)  we  find  the  following  passage  with 
regard  to  a  high-Caste  convert : 

I  took  pains  to  advise  him  not  to  break  his  caste,  but  to  eat,  drink,  dress  as  here- 
tofore, and  hve  among  his  people,  only  abstaining  from  everything  idolatrous. 

Upon  inquiry  I  received  a  reply  from  the  late  jNIr.  Bullock, 
the  Secretary,  that  in  his  private  opinion  the  Missionary  had 
taken  the  right  course,  and  that  the  Missionaries  of  the  S.P.  G. 
generally  would  do  as  he  did. 

A  most  striking  testimony  on  the  subject  is  that  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  H.  Bower,  of  Madras,  in  the  Indiaii  Evangelical  Rtview  for 
1876.  He  had  read  a  paper,  in  the  February  of  that  year,  before 
the  Madras  Diocesan  Church  Conference.  It  was  a  vigorous, 
downright  exposure  of  the  dark  side  of  Caste  ;  but  suddenly  the 
note  is  changed  ;  like  the  Prophet,  he  began  to  curse  and 
ended  in  blessing  : 

I  wrote  an  essay  on  Caste  twenty  years  ago  ;  I  was  young,  inexperienced, 
and  enthusiastic  ;  since  then,  as  I  grow  old,  and  see  more  of  men  and  of  the 
world,  I  am  disposed  to  be  more  charitable,  and  lenient  to  all,  who  have 
scruples  on  this  intricate  subject.  In  order  to  form  a  just  estimate  of  the  trials 
of  a  high-Caste  Convert,  we  must  put  ourselves  in  his  place,  and  view  things 
from  his  standpoint.  AH  Castes,  high  and  low,  who  embrace  Christianity, 
have  peculiar  difficulties  to  encounter.  Caste,  as  'class  prejudices,' seems  to 
be  inherent  in  fallen  human  nature.  They  are  felt  in  Europe,  in  America,  and 
all  the  world  over,  as  well  as  in  India.  Their  power  pervades  all  minds  :  it  in 
some  measure  influences  the  State,  the  Church,  Benevolent  Societies,  Religious 
Communities,  and  even  pious  individuals.  It  showed  itself  in  the  prejudices  of 
Peter.  Providence  has  made  a  difference  between  one  man  and  another  with 
regard  to  birth,  wealth,  learning,  and  position.  These  distinctions,  cannot  be 
ignored,  however  much  they  may  be  regulated,  or  mitigated,  or  improved." 
Are  we  justified  in  demanding  of  converts  more  than  Repentance  and  Faith, 
which  was  all  that  the  Apostles  demanded  ?  Capricious  dictation  and  rigorous 
law  will  do  no  good.  Charity  and  Liberty  are  more  important  than  Uniformity. 
We  must  allow  converts  to  retain  their  simple  and  innocent  usages  and  customs, 
while  we  strike  at  the  root  of  immoral  and  idolatrous  practices  ;  we  must  be 
careful  not  to  disgust  them  with  trivial  matters. 

A  native  clergyman  at  the  same  Conference  remarked  as  follows 
in  favour  of  the  lenient  treatment  advocated  by  Dr.  Bower : 

A  Caste-Christian  may  not  answer  the  bea7t  ?r/m/ of  Christian  perfection,  but, 
so  long  as  he  is  a  Christian,  he  comes  under  Christian  influences,  and  gradually 
accepting  in  its  Christian  sense  the  brotherhood  of  Man,  he  may  less  and  less 
attach  any  importance  to  Caste.  In  dealing  too  rigorously  with  Caste,  the 
Missionary  demands  on  the  part  of  the  convert  the  exhibition  of  the  highest 
virtue,  and  most  self-denying  Christian  graces,  and  makes  no  allowance  for 
prejudices  deeply  rooted  by  immemorial  custom. 

Another  Missionary  thought  that 

Caste  should  be  recognized  as  an  evil,  and  all  moral  means  used  to  uproot  it, 
while  refraining  from  severe  measures. 


(     87     ) 

Another  remarked  that : 

If  native  opinion  were  moulded,  Caste  would  die  out  like  Slavery  from  the 
Early  Church. 

I  do  not  place  much  value  upon  the  opinion  of  a  Roman 
Catholic  Missionary  as  such,  but  I  accept  common  sense  from 
whatever  quarter  it  comes.  In  the  Missions  Calholiques  of  1880 
I  read : 

Le  seul  point  essential  des  Castes  c'est  le  mariage  :  les  gens  d'une  caste  ne 
contractent  pas  d'alliance  avec  ceux  d'une  autre.  Les  Castes  etant  des  distinctions 
purement  sociales  le  pretre  Catholique  ne  geneen  rien  la  liberie  naturelle  deses 
ouailles." 

The  Lutheran  Church  has  openly  declared  for  the  maintenance 

of  Caste,  so  there  is  always  that  refuge  open  to  the  neo-Christian. 

The  following  practical  testimony  is  given  by  a  Madras  Minister: 

The  longer  I  work  among  the  people,  the  more  am  I  convinced,  that,  until 
we  get  a  staff  of  workmen  from  the  high-Castes,  our  work  in  that  direction  will 
be  unsuccessful.  A  high-Caste  catechist  may  work  with  perfect  impunity  among 
the  low-Castes  ;  but  a  low-Caste  man  can  never  cross  the  threshold  of  a  high- 
Caste  man.  I  know  the  common  cant,  that  the  G.ospel  can  level  all  Caste 
obstacles,  social  and  religious,  and  that  no  Caste  distinctions  should  be 
countenanced.  This  springs  from  mistaken  zeal  and  downright  ignorance. 
Many  Missionaries  are  not  so  prudent  as  they  ought  to  be,  while  they  them- 
selves are,  perhaps,  as  high-Caste  socially  as  the  high-Caste  Indian  himself.  I 
know  of  no  Missionary,  who  would  be  willing  to  sit  down  in  a  low-Caste  house, 
and  take  his  meals  with  the  inmates,  or  let  them  sit  down  with  him  at  his  own 
table.  This  is  a  social  distinction.  There  is  no  moral  or  religious  prmciple 
involved  in  it,  nor  does  the  low-Caste  consider  such  implied. 

As  a  commentary  to  this,  I  may  remark,  that  in  the  first 
Report  of  the  Native  Panjab  Council  in  the  North  of  India  it 
is  mentioned,  that  the  Missionary  agents  had  to  simulate  to  be 
high-Caste,  though  they  were  not  so,  with  a  view  of  getting  an 
access  and  a  hearing.  How  often  in  England  is  it  stated,  that 
it  is  important  for  an  ordained  clergyman  to  be  a  gentleman  } 
Now  this  is  Caste  of  the  rankest  kind,  since  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord  nothing  is  common  nor  unclean  ;  and  the  word  '  gentleinan  ' 
is  not  found  in  the  Bible. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Hickey,  a  retired  Missionary,  remarks  with 
truth,  that 

Caste  is  more  ethnological  than  superstitious  ;  the  lowest  day  labourer  will 
not  take  the  food  cooked  by  one  of  another  Caste,  much  less  would  he  marry 
with  such.  The  design  is  to  keep  the  clanships  distinct.  Education  will  have 
greater  influence  in  this  matter  than  rigorous  Church  discipline. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Adamson  remarks,  that 

In  dealing  with  our  weaker  brethren  in  the  faith  some  little  respect  should 
be  shown  for  national  ideas.  He  considers  that  the  scheme  of  the  annual  dinner, 
or  Love-feast,  is  next  door  to  compelling  converts  to  adopt  a  European  style 
of  dress. 


And  so  indeed  it  is. 

The  whole  question  turns  upon  Christian  liberty 


in  doing,  or 


(     88     ) 

abstaining  from  doing,  what  is  not  contrary  to  the  law  of  the 
Bible,  and  the  law  of  the  land.  The  Missionary,  who  compels 
his  Christians  to  partake  of  a  Love  feast,  or  who  forcibly 
arranges  marriages  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  their  families, 
is  doing  an  action  contrary  to  the  law  of  love,  to  natural  equity, 
and  which  will  affect  him  most,  when  these  communities  grow 
strong  enough  to  set  aside  both  the  letter  and  the  spirit  of 
whatever  laws  may  be  framed  for  their  government.  Much  is 
said  in  these  days  about  the  paramount  importance  of  the 
independence  of  the  Native  Church.  With  the  Native  Council 
of  that  Church  will  eventually  rest  the  decision  of  such  matters 
as  these.  In  past  years  Pastors  and  Church  office-holders  may 
have  been  dismissed  for  not  obeying  orders  about  Caste :  this 
can  no  longer  be  done  except  by  the  Native  Council.  For  the 
first  generation,  at  least,  we  may  fully  expect  that  a  separation, 
analogous  to  that  of  Jew  and  Gentile,  will  exist.  After  this,  and 
gradually,  under  the  influence  of  example,  advice,  and,  above 
all,  God's  grace,  such  will,  no  doubt,  in  the  end  disappear. 
In  the  mean  time,  why  should  the  Missionary  put  a  stumbling- 
block  in  the  way  of  the  infant  Church,  and  place  upon  his 
converts  a  burden  with  regard  to  Commensality  and  Inter- 
marriage, which  he  himself  would  not  touch  with  his  little 
finger  ?  Would  he  give  his  daughter  in  marriage  to  a  Native 
Pastor,  or  sit  down  to  dinner  with  a  Sweeper  ? 

The  present  policy  of  some  Missions  practically  closes  the 
door  of  the  Church  against  the  better  classes,  and  opens  it 
only  to  the  very  refuse  of  society.  Colonel  Sleeman,  a  skilled 
observer,  remarked  that  what  chiefly  prevented  the  spread  of 
Christianity  was  the  dread  of  exclusion  from  Caste,  and  the 
convert's  utter  hopelessness  of  ever  finding  any  respectable 
circle  of  society  in  his  new  sphere.  Other  observers  have 
remarked,  that  the  unhappy  convert  is  not  admitted  to  the 
English  Caste,  which  is  the  strongest  and  most  arrogant  and 
exclusive  Caste  in  India,  and  of  which  the  Mahometans,  in 
spite  of  themselves,  share  the  feelings. 

Bishop  Sargent  very  pertinently  observed  in  1871  : 

So  long  as  all  sit  together  in  the  Church,  partake  of  the  same  cup  in  the 
Lord's  Sup[)er,  admit  the  administrations  of  men  considered  originally  of  lower 
Caste,  and  abstain  from  all  heathen  rites  and  ceremonies,  what  other  overt  acts 
are  there  that  we  can  legitimately  insist  on?  Now  the  above  is  the  extent  to 
which  our  rural  congregations  in  the  mass  go.  Have  we  power  to  insist  upon 
this  promiscuous  eating  in  a  social  manner  as  a  si//^  quit  noii  ?  It  seems  to  me 
that  the  only  power  left  us  in  dealing  with  this  matter  is  example  and 
persuasion.  In  my  mind,  to  whatever  means  I  have  recourse,  I  see  that  Love 
must  be  the  spring,  or  the  result  will  be  disappointment. 

We  may  be  thankful,  that  there  is  a  Christian  Bishop  such  as 
the  man  who  wrote  this,  and  who  had  lived  3'cars  among  the 
people.     The  Love,  that  is  required  to  subdue  this  evil,  would 


(     89     ) 

prevent  the  uttering  of  such  exaggerations,  and  the  penning  of 
such  abuse,  as  disfigure  the  periodicals  of  Evangelical  Societies 
on  this  subject,  and  which  are  a  scandal  to  the  Christian  Church, 
and  reflect  upon  the  judgment  of  those,  who  penned  them. 

In  the  Christian  settlement  of  Kishnagar  in  Bangal  a  great 
trouble  broke  out  a  few  years  ago,  and  three  well-known  and 
esteemed  native  Christians  were  sent  from  Calcutta  to  visit  the 
Christians,  and  report.  They  were  Bangali,  and  knew  what 
they  were  about.  They  were  of  opinion,  that  the  more  the 
removal  of  the  Caste  distinction  was  insisted  upon  at  the  present 
moment,  the  less  likelihood  there  was  of  success,  and  that  the 
best  solution  of  the  difficulty  was  to  let  matters  alone  ;  to  treat 
the  people  kindly,  and  so  win  their  affections  as  gradually  to 
dispel  their  prejudices  by  some  Christian  teaching.  A  European 
Missionary  did  not  hesitate  to  express  his  opinion,  that  no  one 
would  like  to  be  compelled  to  eat  and  associate  with  people 
given  to  filthy  habits,  and  that  the  angry  feeling  of  the  people 
in  this  case  was  caused  by  the  exhibition  of  an  overbearing 
spirit  on  the  part  of  the  Missionary. 

Of  course  scores  of  quotations  could  be  given  in  the  opposite 
sense  to  the  preceding  ones.  It  often  happens,  with  regard  to 
the  writers,  that  they  faithfully  repeat  the  same  cuckoo  note,  and 
"  qiwd  non  intelligunt  datiinant !'  The  writers  are  either  good 
men  of  the  exalted  type,  who  dream  of  a  Christian  Utopia 
*'  of  faultless  men,  born  again  to  a  new  life ; "  or  they  are 
ignorant  men,  knowing  neither  the  people,  nor  their  language, 
and  certainly  imbued  with  no  love  towards  them.  No  doubt 
there  is  a  difficulty  in  getting  a  suitable  wife  for  a  young  Neo- 
Christian  of  an  isolated  Caste,  and  it  is  not  well  for  the  Indian 
convert  to  remain  unmarried.  These  are  the  difficulties  of  all 
nascent  communities.  Again,  the  re-marriage  of  young  widows 
is  a  measure  of  the  greatest  importance.  St.  Paul  felt  it  to  be 
so  in  his  time.  There  is  little  sentiment  in  such  unions  in  India, 
though  they  may  claim  an  average  amount  of  happiness  and 
fidelity.  Protestant  Missionaries  in  these  matters  are  un- 
consciously following  the  example  of  all  the  Hindu  Sectarian 
Reformers,  who,  century  after  century,  have  attacked  Caste,  but 
without  success.  Such  movements  were  the  result  of  the  up- 
heaving of  the  lower  classes  against  the  Priesthood,  and  against 
the  oppression  of  the  upper  classes  generally,  and  in  all  cases 
the  vernacular  languages  were  made  use  of  to  influence  the 
people.  It  may  be  added,  that  the  educated  atheistical  classes 
of  modern  India  are  fighting  against  Caste,  in  the  interest  of 
unrestricted  eating,  and  promiscuous  marriage,  and  are  not 
desirable  allies  for  the  Missionary. 

There  is  too  great  a  tendency  on  the  part  of  INIissionaries  to 
treat  the  people  as  children.     Babes  they  are,  indeed,  in  Christ ; 


(    90    ) 

but  a  robust  and  vital  Church  must  be  composed  of  hardy  and 
independent  members.  The  late  General  Dalton  remarks,  that 
Christianity  is  offered,  even  to  Non-Arian  races,  in  the  least 
alluring  form.  The  Kole  are  fond  of  ornaments,  and  the  women 
like  to  wear  natural  flowers  in  their  hair.  The  Missionaries 
require,  as  a  mortification  of  the  flesh,  that  they  shall  wear  no 
decoration.  The  General  expresses  his  hope,  that  the  necessity 
for  such  rigid  austerity  may  cease,  and  that  the  girls  may  be 
allowed  the  harmless  and  pleasing  custom  of  wearing  flowers  in 
their  hair.  The  wish  may  also  be  expressed  that  the  Brahmin, 
who  is  gentle  in  birth  and  by  culture,  may  not,  on  becoming  a 
Christian,  be  compelled  to  associate  with,  and  pressed  even  to 
marry  amongst,  those  who  form,  socially,  the  dregs  of  his  nation. 

While,  on  the  one  hand,  the  State  guarantees  the  rights  of  the 
people  of  India  to  their  immemorial  customs,  on  the  other  hand, 
when  individuals  or  families  have  deliberately  abandoned  Caste, 
or  tribal  designations,  and  accepted  the  new  denomination  of 
"  Christian,"  the  conduct  of  the  Courts  of  Justice,  and  the  Re- 
corders of  the  Census,  in  persisting  in  the  use  of  the  abandoned 
description,  in  spite  of  a  protest,  is  open  to  serious  objection, 
and  would  not  be  maintained  for  an  instant,  if  proper  remon- 
strance were  made  to  Government.  The  Madras  Government 
approved,  that  Native  Christians  should  be  recorded  as  such, 
irrespective  of  their  former  Castes. 

There  is,  then,  a  portion  of  this  Indian  custom  of  Caste,  which 
is  protected  by  the  Law  of  the  land,  and  there  is  another  portion, 
which  has  the  sanction  of  what  the  natives  are  pleased  to  call 
"  Dharma,"  or  Religion.  The  question  for  the  prudent  Christian 
is  to  decide,  whether  the  Social  portion,  so  deeply  entwined  with 
the  feelings  of  the  people,  cannot  be  dissociated  from  the 
objectionable  Religious  portion,  and  be  accepted,  or  at  any  rate 
tolerated,  in  a  Christian  Church.  The  Legislature  of  British 
India  has  by  statute  declared,  and  declared  justly,  that  no  person 
shall  forfeit  any  rights,  which  he  would  otherwise  have  enjoyed, 
by  becoming  a  Christian.  The  Hindu  and  Mahometan  popula- 
tion have  acquiesced  in  this  Law,  imposed  upon  them  by  an 
alien  Government,  and  which  they  would  never  have  enacted 
themselves,  though,  in  truth,  it  has  been  practically  the  Common 
Law  of  India  for  many  centuries.  The  convert  thus  passes  into 
the  new  community  with  such  property,  as  he  is  entitled  to  by 
inheritance,  and  the  Law  allows  no  disqualification  or  disability 
of  any  kind  to  operate  against  him.  In  what  other  country, 
except  England  and  the  United  States,  does  such  liberty  prevail .'' 
Let  the  Christian  Church,  on  her  side,  allow  these  converts  to 
retain  their  sodal  customs,  until  such  shall,  under  the  influence 
of  education  and  higher  civilization,  lose  their  present  rigid  and 
exaggerated  forms,  and  assume  the  elasticity,  which  is  enjoyed 


(    91     ) 

in  European  countries.     Upon  a  review  of  the  entire  subject,  I 
am  forced  to  the  following  conclusions  : 

I.  Whatever  the  Missionary  Society  in  England,  or  the 
Missionary  Agent  in  India,  may  wish  to  advise,  the  Native 
Church,  which  will,  sooner  or  later,  be  independent,  will  do 
what  it  likes  in  the  matter.  The  Civil  Power  in  India  will 
support  it  in  the  exercise  of  rights  guaranteed  to  all  subjects. 
Public  opinion  is,  and  ever  will  be,  strongly  in  its  favour,  and 
against  the  extreme  section  of  the  Missionaries.  No  Reformed 
Church  will  ever  be  supported  in  the"  enforcement  of  arbitrary 
regulations,  restricting  the  lawful  liberty  of  citizens  ;  nor  will 
harsh  ecclesiastical  discipline  be  tolerated,  or  be  possible,  in  a 
country  full  of  rival  Churches. 

II.  One  of  the  greatest  obstacles  to  Conversion  is  the  entire 
destitution  of  all  social  respectability,  which  accompanies  the 
acceptance  of  Christianity.  Some  remarkable  men,  like  Ram 
Chandra  of  Dehli,  Nehemiah  Goreh  of  Banaras,  Krishna  Mohun 
Banerji  of  Calcutta,  have  been  practically  incorporated  into 
English  Society,  and  have  found  a  new  status,  to  which  their 
great  talents,  their  high  culture,  as  well  as  their  earnest  faith, 
entitled  them.  But  the  respectable  member  of  the  middle  class, 
with  small  talents  and  less  education,  but  whose  soul  is  as  dear 
to  God  and  the  Church,  as  that  of  his  exalted  brethren  above 
alluded  to,  loses  his  companions,  his  social  ties,  his  credit,  and 
all  that  makes  up  the  charm  of  life,  and  finds  no  new  community, 
with  which  he  can  associate.  It  is  a  fearful  thing,  to  contem- 
plate the  position  of  such  a  man.  Great  will  be  his  reward 
hereafter,  for  he  has  given  up  all  for  his  Master's  sake,  and  taken 
his  Saviour  at  His  word.  But  the  flesh  is  proverbially  weak. 
In  India  the  Martyr,  in  the  old  sense,  is  unknown,  but  compara- 
tively few  will  have  strength  to  be  Confessors,  unless  their  way 
is  smoothed  in  all  things  lawful,  and  their  entrance  into  the 
Church  is  barred  by  no  unnecessary  stumbling-blocks  laid  upon 
its  threshold. 

The  best  way  of  putting  clown  Caste  is  to  preach  a  full  Gospel. 

The  man,  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  will  not  walk  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the 
Spirit.  He  will  not  use  his  liberty  for  an  occasion  to  the  flesh,  but  by  love 
serve  his  brother,  and  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  love,  joy,  peace,  long- 
suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance. — Gal.  vi.  13. 

God  made  all  of  one  blood. 

There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Gentile,  bond  nor  free,  male  nor  female. 

In  the  14th  chapter  of  Romans,  St.  Paul  gives  us  specimens  of  the  difficulties, 
which  arose  between  Jews  and  Gentiles,  the  former  naturally  desiring  to  bind 
the  Gentiles  to  their  own  customs,  such  as  days  of  fasting,  circumcision,  the 
distinction  of  meats,  etc.,  and  in  this  chapter  I  think  we  may  find  a  principle 
to  guide.  "  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,  but  not  to  judge  his 
doubtful  thoughts."  Paul  treated  the  scruples  of  others  with  tenderness  and 
indulgence.  He  circumcised  Timotheus,  Acts  xvi.  2,  because  of  the  Jews. 
Again  he  shaved  his  head  and  purified  himself  with  four  others,  paying  his  own 


(      92      ) 

and   their  expenses,   to   satisfy  Jewish  prejudice,    Acts  xxi.  21   and  24.     At 
Antioch  he  blamed  Peter  for  not  eating  with  the  Gentiles,  Gal.  ii.  11 — 18. 

The  above  remarks  were  made  by  a  friend,  and  I  gladly  accept 
the  views  as  my  own. 

I  would  not  for  one  moment  be  supposed  to  suggest  any  con- 
cession of  Christian  doctrine  and  practice,  or  any  amalgam  of 
Hinduism  and  Christianity;  but  I  would  remind  all,  who  are 
interested  in  the  spread  of  Christ's  Kingdom,  that  the  Church  in 
India  may  be  as  much  built  on  Christ  as  our  own,  and  yet  have 
very  different  external  developments.  It  may  be  free  from  many 
of  the  weaknesses,  which  disgrace  our  own,  and  may  be  exposed 
to  others,  which  we  have  never  suffered  from.  I  am  deliberately 
of  opinion,  from  a  long  and  intimate  knowledge  of  the  great 
races  of  Northern  India,  that  to  struggling  converts  trying  to 
pass  into  the  Christian  fold  through  the  mazes  of  an  Oriental 
civilization,  an  Oriental  morality,  and  Oriental  weakness  of 
character,  it  is  desirable,  that  the  boon  should  be  conceded  of 
being  allowed  to  marry  only  within  certain  families,  if  they 
wish  to  be  so  restricted,  and  to  eat  and  drink  only  with  certain 
people,  except  at  the  Lord's  Table.  It  is  amazing  to  think,  that 
Christian  ministers  should  place  on  such  weak  backs  a  burden, 
which  strong  Christians,  such  as  may  be  found  in  an  old 
Christian  country  like  this,  would  not  allow  their  ministers  to 
suggest  to  them  from  the  pulpit.  The  whole  mistake  arises 
from  our  forgetting,  that  the  people  of  India  are  men  of  like 
passions  to  ourselves,  neither  worse  nor  better.  The  ]\Iis- 
sionary  will  find  it  as  much  as  he  can  do  to  wean  them  from 
Idolatry,  keep  them  from  Immorality,  and  protect  them  from 
Infidelity.  And  the  permanency  of  his  work  will  depend  upon 
his  rememberiiig  this.  The  English  domination  may  pass 
away  like  a  dream  in  the  course  of  another  generation,  and  only 
be  remembered  as  a  somewhat  important  incident  in  the  long 
history  of  Indian  civilization.  But  Institutions,  built  up  on  the 
Great  Truths  of  Scripture,  upon  the  solid  foundations  of  Natural 
Equity,  will  stand  unshaken  amidst  the  ruin  of  empires,  and 
wield  no  lessened  power,  when  the  mightiest  thrones  have 
fallen. 

Mission  Life,  1881  (with  additions,  1888). 


(    93     ) 


V. 


THE    CULTIVATION    OF    THE    POPPY,    AND 
MANUFACTURE  OF  OPIUM. 

Are  the   People  of  British  India  to  be  Sacrificed  to 
THE  Chinese  ? 

"  Audi  Alteram  Partem." 

In  the  midst  of  loud  declamation  and  plenteous  abuse,  the  Anti- 
Opium  agitators  neglect  to  grapple  in  a  practical  manner  with 
the  subject,  or  suggest  any  feasible  remedy  for  the  alleged  evil. 
It  is  natural,  that  this  should  be  so,  for,  not  understanding  the 
formidable  complications  of  the  disease,  how  can  they  prescribe 
for  the  patient  ?  The  problem  is  a  solemn  one.  If  the  agitators 
urge,  that  China  is  not  to  be  sacrificed  to  the  financial  wants  of 
India,  the  whole  body  of  Anglo-Indians  rise,  as  one  man,  to 
maintain,  that  British  India  shall  not  be  sacrificed  to  the  moral 
weakness  of  China.  Great  Britain  has  no  direct  interest  in  the 
matter:  every  rupee  of  the  vast  sums  spent  in  the  culture  of  the 
poppy,  and  the  manufacture  of  the  drug,  is  supplied  by  natives 
of  British  India,  or  Anglo-Indians,  transacting  business  in  India. 
Let  me  clear  away  sundry  topics,  which  only  cloud  the  discus- 
sion, and  divert  the  mind  from  the  real  issue,  which  is,  "What 
shall  be  done  ?  " 

I.  The  war  of  1841-42  may,  or  may  not,  have  been  connected 
with  opium  in  its  origin  (which  is  doubtful),  or  have  been  wicked, 
(which  is  also  doubtful) ;  but,  whatever  it  was,  it  is  an  accom- 
plished fact  and  a  matter  of  history. 

II.  The  war  of  1857  arose  entirely  from  the  capture  of  a  small 
vessel,  and  had  nothing  to  do  with  opium.  Be  it  recollected, 
that  Parliament  was  dissolved,  and  the  matter  was  laid  before 
the  country,  and  the  war  was  the  direct  result  of  the  votes  of  the 
electors  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  The  people  had  the 
matter  before  them,  and  decided  upon  it.  British  India  was  not 
consulted. 

III.  Peace  was  made,  and  certain  ports  were  thrown  open 
to  all  merchandize,  opium,  at  the  request  of  the  Chinese,  being 


(    94    ) 

admitted  to  the  Free  Ports  subject  to  a  fixed  Customs-Duty. 
Beyond  those  Treaty-ports  China  is  absolutely  master  of  the 
situation,  and  nothing  can  pass  out  of  those  ports  without  an 
arbitrary  transit-duty,  which  can  at  discretion  be  made  prohibi- 
tory. I  have  ascertained  this  fact  from  the  most  competent 
authorities,  and,  if  there  were  any  treaty,  compelling  China  to 
admit  opium  beyond  the  Treaty-ports,  I  should  join  in  the 
petition  to  have  the  treaty  repealed.  It  is  very  true  that,  if  the 
Chinese  were  to  forbid  the  passage  of  opium  out  of  the  Treaty- 
ports,  smuggling  would  be  resorted  to  along  two  thousand  miles 
of  coast  by  men  of  every  nationality  ;  but  Great  Britain,  if  it 
attempted  to  exclude  French  brandy,  would  run  the  same  risk, 
and  the  Navy  of  the  United  States  was  not  able  to  exclude  the 
blockade-runners  during  the  cotton  famine. 

IV.  The  injurious  effect  of  over-indulgence  in  opium-smoking 
is  admitted.  But  every  nation  has  its  prevailing  vice,  which 
must  be  attacked  by  moral  arguments,  not  by  the  Arm  of  the 
Flesh.  An  English  Bishop  rightly  said,  that  it  would  be  better 
for  men  to  be  drunkards  than  slaves.  The  people  of  Great 
Britain  extract  twenty-eight  millions  annually  from  the  in- 
temperate habits  of  a  portion  of  the  community.  There  are 
worse  things  in  China,  a  far  greater  moral  contamination  than 
opium- smoking.  Why  do  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and 
the  Colonists  of  Australia  and  British  Columbia,  who  admit  all 
nationalities  to  their  territory,  exclude  the  Chinese  ?  Because 
they  bring  with  them  a  contamination  worse  than  opium-smoking. 
They  occupy  among  races  the  position  of  the  Bug  among  insects. 

V.  If  the  habit  of  opium-smoking  is  so  destructive  of  body 
and  mind,  as  the  agitators  say,  it  would  tell  upon  the  population. 
China,  however,  is  like  a  full  bowl,  overflowing  into  every  land, 
Australia,  New  Zealand,  the  Indian  Archipelago,  South  Africa, 
and  America.  Other  vices  bring  with  them  sterility,  poverty, 
and  national  weakness.  China  is  a  power  of  unwieldy  but 
gigantic  strength :  it  has  recovered  all  its  lost  ground  on  its 
North-West  frontier,  holds  its  own  against  European  Powers, 
and  there  are  no  signs  of  decay  in  its  arts,  manufactures,  or 
national  development. 

VI.  If  unhappy  Ireland  had  a  culture,  a  manufacture,  and  an 
article  of  export,  which  enabled  the  tenant  to  live  in  comfort, 
the  landlord  to  receive  his  rent  without  fail,  the  State  to  levy  an 
excise  of  many  millions  on  the  export ;  if  the  population  were 
indebted  to  this  culture  for  social  and  undemoralized  happiness 
and  content,  would  the  Parliament  of  Ireland  consent  to  destroy 
this  culture,  and  arrest  this  manufacture,  because  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  Fiji  Islands,  or  South  America,  were  so  uncontrolled 
in  their  appetites,  and  so  abandoned  in  their  proclivities,  as  to 
destroy  themselves  with  over-libations  of  Irish   whisky  .''     Yet 


(    95     ) 

such  is  the  state  of  many  millions  in  British  India,  to  whom  the 
culture  of  the  poppy  is  as  the  wand  of  Fortunatus.  Landlord 
and  tenant  welcome  the  arrival  of  the  Opium-Factory  Agent, 
who  pays  upwards  of  a  million  in  advance  without  interest,  under 
contract,  for  delivery  of  the  poppy  juice,  thus  protecting  the 
cultivator  from  the  exactions  of  the  village  banker,  and  enabling 
him  to  pay  his  rent  to  his  landlord,  and  enabling  the  landlord  to 
pay  his  land-tax  to  the  State. 

VII.  If  British  Indid  were  a  constitutional  Colony  (and  one 
excellent  result  of  this  agitation  will  be,  that  independent  con- 
stitutional powers  will  be  conceded  to  it  for  self-protection  from 
selfish  Englishmen),  would  it  be  expected,  that  the  Colonial 
Parliament  would  throw  to  the  winds  a  revenue  of  many  millions, 
because  irresponsible  men  in  Great  Britain  take  up  one  side  of 
a  question,  and,  forgetting  the  drunkenness  of  their  own  country, 
and  the  frightful  injuries  inflicted  upon  Africa  by  British  commerce 
in  arms  and  liquors,  sympathize  with  the  debased  Chinese  opium- 
smoker,  and  its  debased  and  mercenary  rulers,  who  fill  their 
despatches  with  moral  saws,  and  tolerate  inefi''able  abominations  ? 

VIII.  "  Begin  at  home  "  is  a  maxim,  which  applies  both  to 
the  British  agitator  and  the  Chinese  Government.  China  will 
soon  become,  if  it  is  not  already,  the  largest  opium-producer  in 
the  world,  and  some  even  think,  that  ere  long  it  will  export 
opium.  Of  one  fact,  however,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that 
travellers  in  remote  regions  find  the  poppy-cultivation  and  the 
opium-pipe  among  tribes  never  visited  by  Europeans,  or  accessible 
to  the  Indian  drug.  It  is  not  clear,  that  opium-smoking  ever 
has  prevailed  outside  China:  in  British  India,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  British  Barma,  which  is  outside  of  India  proper,  and  in 
the  Indo-Chinese  Peninsula,  it  is  totally  unknown. 

IX.  With  our  streets  at  home  inundated  with  intoxicating 
liquors,  with  our  manufacturers  sending  out  annually  arms, 
ammunition,  and  rum,  to  every  part  of  unhappy  Africa,  so  as  to 
enable  the  aborigines,  who  have  survived  down  to  the  nineteenth 
century,  and  have  outlived  the  foreign  slave-trade,  to  destroy 
themselves  by  internecine  war  and  a  liquor,  of  which  they 
were  ignorant  before  the  arrival  of  the  white  man  :  with  human 
sacrifices  and  cannibalism  still  practised  in  marts  to  which  our 
traders  resort :  with  many  forms  of  frightful  cruelty  and  horrible 
crime  rampant  in  countries  to  w^hich  we  have  access,  are  we  to 
throw  away  the  Empire  of  India  in  the  vain  and  fanciful  idea  of 
keeping  back  a  heathen  Chinaman  from  his  pipe,  while  we  have 
failed  to  hold  back  a  Christian  Englishman  from  his  pot  ? 

X.  It  is  notorious,  that  the  surplus-income  of  British  India 
over  the  absolute  necessities  of  the  State  is  supplied  by  the 
wonderful  and  heaven-sent  windfall  of  the  opium-revenue,  and 
out  of  this  surplus  fund  the  Bishops  with  their  Chaplains,  and 


(    96    ) 

the  grants-in-aid  to  the  Missionary  Societies  from  the  Education 
Department,  have  for  many  years  been  paid.  If  then  this  source 
of  revenue  be  so  tainted,  as  the  Anti-Opium  agitators  would 
have  us  believe :  if  it  be  an  accursed  thing,  like  the  price  of 
blood,  the  wage  of  the  prostitute,  the  cost  of  a  brother's  soul, 
and  the  incense  offered  to  Mammon,  how  is  it  that  these 
Societies,  so  outwardly  blessed  by  the  Almighty,  can  accept  a 
part  of  the  spoils  and  mingle  it  with  the  pure  offerings  of 
Missionary  love  and  thanksgiving?  It  is  their  duty  before  God 
and  Men  to  reject  the  contamination.  The  Missionary  Societies 
know  very  well  from  what  source  the  surplus-income  of  British 
India  comes,  and  yet  they  do  not  hesitate  to  take  their  share. 

XL  Amidst  the  agitators  there  are  two  camps ;  the  platform- 
orators,  and  the  prudent  Secretary  of  the  Anti  Opium  Society, 
who  must  sometimes  start  at  the  utterances  of  the  extreme 
members  of  his  own  party.  We  have  heard  the  cultivation  of 
the  Poppy  likened  to  the  Slave-trade.  What  does  this  mean  ?  No 
doubt  the  Slave-trade  was  a  curse  to  the  country  which  despatched 
the  slaves,  and  a  heavier  curse  to  the  country  which  received  the 
slaves  ;  but  the  sympathy  of  the  world  was  with  the  slave  himself, 
a  man  of  like  passions  to  ourselves,  and  with  an  immortal  soul. 
But  the  cultivation  of  the  Poppy  is  one  of  the  choicest  and 
richest  blessings  to  the  country  which  exports  it,  blest  at  every 
stage  of  the  transaction,  and  to  every  one  concerned  in  it : 
to  the  country  which  receives  it,  it  has  neither  brought  depopu- 
lation, nor  poverty,  nor  sterility,  nor  weakness,  though  to  a  large 
number  (about  two  millions  out  of  a  population  of  four  hundred 
millions)  of  the  debauched  members  of  that  nation  it  has 
supplied  an  opiate,  more  carefully  prepared  and  of  greater 
intrinsic  excellence  than  the  culture  and  manufacture  of  his  own 
country  can  produce,  or  at  least  has  as  yet  produced,  for,  in  the 
ports  of  Mongolia  the  Chinese  indigenous  opium  has  driven  out 
the  Indian  alien  drug.  We  can  scarcely  suppose  that  any 
sympathy  is  felt  with  the  fate  of  the  opium-ball :  so  the  analogy 
with  the  Slave-trade  falls  to  the  ground. 

XII.  The  agitators  sometimes  urge,  that  it  is  an  Indian,  some- 
times a  British  question;  but  I  never  heard  any  one  urge 
seriously,  that  sevenpence  in  the  pound  should  be  added  to  the 
British  Income-tax  to  make  up  for  the  loss  of  Revenue  to  British 
India,  and  that  compensation  should  be  given  to  the  landlords 
and  tenants  and  chiefs  of  Central  India  for  the  terrible  loss 
caused  to  them  by  the  abandonment  of  a  profitable  culture. 
Yet,  if  we  have  the  strength  of  our  convictions,  we  should  rise 
to  the  dignity  of  paying  the  forfeit  of  our  own  misconduct. 
Sydney  Smith  gives  an  anecdote  of  the  Bishops  on  one  occasion 
feeding  the  starving  populace  with  the  dinners  of  the  Deans  and 
Canons,  while  they  kept  their  own.    When  Slavery  was  abolished, 


(    97     ) 

the  twenty  millions  of  compensation  were  paid  by  Great  Britain, 
and  not  by  the  West  India  Islands.  An  extremely  moral 
sensitiveness  should  not  be  sordid,  and  attempt  to  make  a 
scape-goat  of  another  country,  to  satisfy  its  own  scruples,  not 
shared  by  the  people  of  India.  A  much  larger  sum  (perhaps 
five-fold)  than  twenty  millions  would  be  required  to  supply  the 
compensation  to  the  agricultural  interests  wantonly  injured 
by  the  Exeter  Hall  moralists.  Nor  would  the  Chinese  be  any 
the  better  for  this  Quixotic  insanity. 

XI II.  Another  line  ofargument,  brought  forward  in  Exeter  Hall, 
is,  that  the  suppression  of  the  Manufacture  would  cause  British 
India  no  loss  at  all.  It  is  stated,  with  charming  simplicity,  that  the 
area  of  culturable  soil,  now  occupied  by  the  poppy,  would  be  at 
once  transferred  to  cereals,  which  would  be  equally  profitable 
and  be  a  safeguard  against  famine.  How  little  do  such  advo- 
cates know  of  the  infinite  trouble  taken,  during  the  last  thirty 
years,  to  introduce  into  British  India  other  and  more  profitable 
products  than  cereals  ?  How  little  does  he  reflect,  that  a  glut  of 
cereals  is  the  ruin  of  a  country,  unless  the  means  of  export  are 
at  a  very  high  stage  of  development,  which  requires  capital? 
Besides,  land  under  poppy-culture  pays  its  land-tax  to  the  State, 
and  the  rent  to  the  landowner ;  and  it  will  have  to  do  the  same 
if  under  garden-crops  or  sugar-cane  :  but  over  and  above  the 
land-revenue  and  rent,  the  opium  pays  an  export  duty  of  many 
millions  to  the  State,  and  who  could  place  an  export-duty 
on  any  other  crop  ?  There  would,  therefore,  be  a  dead  loss  to 
the  State,  but  the  landlord  and  tenant,  in  losing  the  poppy- 
culture,  would  lose  their  enhanced  profit  upon  a  profitable 
culture  with  a  certain  demand,  and  in  the  provinces  under  the 
Bangal  Monopoly,  they  would  lose  the  opium-advances,  which 
fall  annually  in  a  shower  of  silver  over  the  fortunate  districts 
suitable  for  the  cultivation  of  the  poppy. 

XIV.  Herod  and  Pilate  are  reported  to  have  become  friends 
on  the  occasion  of  the  condemnation  of  an  innocent  prisoner. 
This  reflection  rises  in  the  mind,  when  we  read  of  a  Roman 
Cardinal  and  the  Evangelical  Clergy  of  England  joined  in  a 
strange  alliance.  In  the  Papal  Bull  of  i88z,  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  is  described  as  the  eldest  daughter  of 
Satan,  and  all  Protestant  Missionaries  as  propagators  of  lies,  and 
yet  the  evidence,  which  has  convinced  the  Cardinal,  is  supplied 
by  these  Missionaries.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Evangelical 
Clergy  have  over  and  over  again  denounced  the  Pope  as  the 
Father  of  Lies,  and  yet  on  this  extremely  complicated  question 
of  morality  and  politics,  they  appear  on  the  platform,  and 
exchange  compliments  with  the  Cardinal.  The  astute  Cardinal 
would  keep  the  Monopoly,  which  we  Anglo-Indians  are  longing 
to  get  rid  of,  until  he  can  find  an  opportunity  to  cut  down  the 
culture,  manufacture,  and  trade,  root  and  branch.     Others  would 


(    98     ) 

get  rid  of  the  IMonopoly  as  a  glaring  offence,  and  leave  to  time 
and  public  opinion  to  correct  the  greater  evil,  which  is  in- 
extricably entwined  with  the  great  principles  of  liberty,  freedom 
of  culture,  freedom  of  trade,  and  freedom  of  export.  Still  the 
independent  observer  cannot  but  look  on  the  sudden  alliance 
between  parties  otherwise  so  opposed  in  a.  matter,  the  whole 
gist  of  which  is  mixed  up  with  the  efforts  of  Protestant  Missions, 
as  inauspicious  and  suspicious.  Over  and  over  again  it  is 
asserted,  that  the  Manufacture  of  opium  in  Bangal  is  the  chief 
obstacle  of  Protestant  Missions,  and  the  Missionary  Societies 
take  it  up  as  such,  without  going  into  the  truth  of  the  assertion. 
Such  being  the  case,  the  Cardinal  was  a  strange  ally:  "  Non 
tali  auxilio."  I  remark  that  there  was  the  same  inauspicious 
conjunction  of  orators  to  attack  the  Surgeons  on  the  platform 
of  the  Anti-Vivisection  Society. 

"National  Sin"  is  the  cuckoo-cry  of  the  party.  Each  day  His 
Eminence  the  Cardinal,  the  great  champion  of  the  Anti-Opium 
party,  kneels  in  his  Oratory  and  prays,  that  the  I-ord  would 
remove  from  Great  Britain  the  great  National  Sin  of  Protestantism. 
The  High  Church  party  pray  daily,  that  the  Lord  would  remove 
the  National  Sin  of  the  schism  of  the  Nonconformist  Churches 
of  Great  Britain,  who  presume  to  preach  the  Gospel  without 
the  Divine  Commission  of  the  Apostolic  succession.  I  have 
heard  the  Reredos  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  called  a  "National 
Sin."  In  many  quarters  it  is  called  a  "National  Sin"  not  to 
allow  Home  Rule  and  unrestrained  confiscation  of  property  in 
Ireland.  We  must  discount  the  meaning  of  these  much-abused 
words  at  the  value  placed  upon  the  general  intelligence,  experi- 
ence, and  judicial  calmness  of  persons,  who  use  it. 

I  would  not  willingly  say  an  unkind  word  against  any  mission- 
ary. I  am  a  Member  of  the  Committee  of  the  British  and  " 
Foreign  Bible  Society  and  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and 
take  an  active  interest  in  every  attempt  to  evangelize  India  and 
China,  assisting  the  work  by  addresses  on  platforms,  by  my 
writings,  my  subscriptions,  and  the  devotion  of  the  best  part 
of  my  time  to  Committee  work.  Their  motives  are  pure  and 
above  suspicion  :  their  hostility  to  the  Culture  and  Manufacture 
of  the  Poppy-juice  in  India  is  inspired  by  respectable  but 
mistaken  feelings,  roused  by  ignorance,  or  misconception 
of  the  real  state  of  the  case.  The  plummet-line  of  their 
investigations  does  not  reach  the  bottom.  They  do  not  appear 
to  advantage  in  this  controversy,  as  going  out  of  their  proper 
sphere,  and  displaying  a  narrowness  of  vision.  Some  of 
them  are  indeed  great  men,  of  whom  the  world  may  be 
proud,  but  the  majority  are  men  of  self  devotion  and  probity; 
but  no  Government  would  deem  it  wise  to  rule  an  Empire  on 
their  advice,  or  according  to  their  notions. 

In  China  there  are  six  hundred  Missionaries,  and  they  represent 


(     99    ) 

thirty-eight  different  Societies,  of  different  Nationalities  and 
Denominations.  The  people  of  China  know  very  well,  that  there 
is  a  great  difference  between  a  Frenchman,  a  German,  an  Ameri- 
can and  a  Briton,  and  they  know  that  British  India  belongs  solely 
to  Great  Britain,  and  that  from  British  India  comes  the  opium, 
which  they  so  much  prefer  to  their  home-grown  opium,  just  as 
the  British  Native  prefers  the  claret  and  brandy  of  France  to 
his  own  gin  and  beer.  Now  I  read  the  weekly  organ  of  the 
Roman  Catholics,  and  I  do  not  find,  that  the  French  Priest  in 
China  attacks  the  Opium-importer  as  the,  obstacle  to  his  work, 
but  rather  the  Protestant  Missionary,  as  the  great  propagandist 
of  deadly  error.  The  American  and  German  Missionary  can, 
in  no  sense,  be  said  to  be  partakers  of  the  so-called  "  National 
Sin  "  of  the  British  people  (though  it  is  to  be  feared  that  many 
Germans  and  Americans  are  engaged  in  the  export  trade  of 
Opium  from  Calcutta  to  China),  and  I  cannot  find,  that  the 
Chinese  people  receive  them  more  gladly,  or  that  their  conver- 
sions are  more  numerous. 

In  Missionary  phraseology  the  great  kingdoms  of  India  and 
China,  with  their  population  of  seven  hundred  millions,  are  con- 
ventionally described  as  the  kingdom  of  Satan  :  those  of  us,  who 
have  lived  a  quarter  of  a  century  in  the  midst  of  the  people  of 
India,  know  how  untrue  that  description  is  of  them,  and  it  may 
be  assumed  to  be  equally  untrue  of  the  Chinese.  The  kingdom 
of  Satan,  if  it  were  localized,  would  probably  be  found  in 
some  European  capital.  They  fix  on  some  particular  evil,  which 
strikes  their  eye,  and  attribute  to  that  evil  their  want  of  success 
in  their  field,  forgetting  that  in  other  fields,  where  that  particular 
evil  does  not  exist,  want  of  progress  is  complained  of  also. 
For  instance,  Caste  is  denounced  in  India,  Opium  in  China, 
Cannibalism  and  Slavery  in  Africa,  and  Polygamy  and  idolatry 
everywhere.  As  a  rule,  owing  to  the  necessity  of  acquiring  the 
vernacular  language,  the  transfer  of  a  Missionary  from  one  field 
to  another  is  not  possible :  so  a  Chinese  Missionary  lives  and 
dies  with  the  conviction,  that,  if  he  could  get  rid  of  his  bugbear 
opium,  his  way  would  be  clear.  Nor  are  those,  who  chronicle 
the  works  of  Missionaries  in  Europe,  wiser;  for  I  read  in  a 
pamphlet  by  a  simple-hearted  German  writer,  that  he  would 
recommend  the  British  Government  at  once  to  throw  up  and 
abandon  the  millions  obtained  from  India  from  the  export  of 
opium,  aiid  tnist  to  God  to  supply  the  deficit.  I  write  with  all 
reverence,  that  empires  are  not  built  up  and  maintained  on  such 
principles.    It  is  a  pulpit-utterance,  and  not  the  counsel  of  a  ruler. 

Nor  do  the  Missionaries  recollect  the  famous  words  of  Prince 
Kung  : 

Take  away  from  us  your  Missionaries  and  your  Opium. 

Sir  Rutherford  Alcock  has  publicly  stated,  that  the  enmity  felt 


(     loo     ) 

by  the  Chinese  to  the  importation  of  foreign  opium  sinks  into 
nothing,  and  will  not  bear  comparison  with  the  hatred,  felt  and 
openly  expressed  for  Missionaries  of  all  denominations  and  their 
doctrines,  and  it  has  been  a  constant  trouble  to  the  Ministers  of 
the  French,  British  and  American  Governments.  In  1884  at 
Fuh  Chou  placards  were  stuck  up  against  the  Missionaries.  I 
do  not  justify  the  Chinese  rulers  or  people,  but  I  state  facts,  and 
it  is  reasonable  to  believe,  that,  if  China  recovered  its  indepen- 
dence, it  would  sweep  away  all  treaties,  and  get  rid  of  both 
subjects  of  annoyance.  The  Missionaries  have,  in  China  and 
elsewhere,  directly  and  indirectly,  done  infinite  good,  and  it 
would  be  wiser  and  better,  if  they  would  not  meddle  in  politics, 
leaving  to  Caesar  the  things  that  belong  to  Caesar,  and  devoting 
themselves  to  the  things  of  God.  And  I  can  truly  say,  that 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  India,  with  extremely  rare 
exceptions,  such  has  been  the  practice  of  Missionaries  of  every 
denomination.  Unhappily  in  China  the  Missionaries  have  taken 
up  political  agitation,  with  very  little  advantage  or  credit.  Could 
these  excellent  men,  whom  I  love  even  in  their  weaknesses,  have 
a  term  of  five  years  in  Africa,  how  gladly,  on  their  return  to 
China,  they  would  accept  the  Chinaman  with  his  pipe,  and  try 
and  win  him  by  moral  influences  and  the  public  press,  could 
they  be  rid  of  the  savage  and  the  cannibal,  the  sorcerer  and  the 
executioner,  whose  presence  weighs  down  the  spirit  of  the 
Missionary  on  the  Victoria  Nyanza  and  the  Niger. 

The  agitation  has  been  re-echoed  by  a  certain  class  in  Great 
Britain.  So  long  as  the  principle  of  repressing  the  use  of 
intoxicating  liquors  and  drugs  is  not  adopted  by  the  State  for  the 
people  of  Great  Britain,  it  seems  mere  mockery  and  hypocrisy 
on  the  part  of  Britons  to  apply  it  arbitrarily  to  a  nation  not 
under  their  control.  The  Chinese,  who  are  the  consumers,  and 
the  Indians,  who  are  the  producers,  must  laugh  at  the  hypocrisy 
of  a  nation,  of  which  drunkenness  is  the  notorious  blot,  and 
urge  it  to  begin  its  moral  reform  at  home.  In  one  of  the  reports 
of  the  Society  I  read,  that  the  Chinese  Government  desire  to  stop 
opium-smoking  among  their  own  soldiers,  and  they  are  quite 
right  to  do  so  ;  but  it  is  shocking  to  think,  that  for  the  first 
offence  the  punishment  is  slitting,  or  excision,  of  the  upper  lip, 
and  the  second  off"ence  is  visited  with  decapitation.  In  all  our 
wars  we  have  refused  to  accept  as  allies  tribes,  who  scalped  their 
prisoners.  The  Anti-Opium  Society  does  not  hesitate  to  ally 
itself  with  the  rulers  of  China,  who  openly  avow  such  barbarous 
laws,  though  we  may  hope  that  they  are  not  acted  upon. 

I  was  reading  a  short  time  ago  the  Report  of  the  Anti-Vacci- 
nation Society,  and  but  for  the  title,  it  might  have  been  supposed 
to  have  been  the  Report  of  the  Anti-Oj)ium  Society :  there 
were  the  same  speeches  at  public  meetings,  the  same  complacent 


(     loi     ) 

self-assertion,  a  general  abuse  of  all  Governments,  who  were 
fools,  or  knaves,  or  both,  and  a  disposal  of  a  most  intricate  and 
difficult  question  in  an  off-hand  manner.  The  Reports  of  the 
Anti-Vivisection  Society  are  moulded  in  the  same  mould.  Many 
of  the  discussions  of  the  Anti-Opium  Society  have  the  character 
of  a  College  Debating  Society,  for  the  Society  is  spoken  of  as 
"  the  English  nation,"  and  one  individual,  writing  from  Calcutta, 
vouches  for  the  opinion  of  the  Hindu  people  ;  another  corre- 
spondent, who  had  never  left  Hong-Kong,  undertakes  to  express 
the  opinion  of  the  Chinese  people.  "  About  twelve  men  seem 
to  do  all  the  speaking,  for  their  names  appear  at  all  the  meet- 
ings, and  the  same  arguments  are  used  with  variations  of 
inaccuracy,  reiteration  of  abuse,  and  strange  inconsistency. 
Can  a  tree  at  the  same  time  bring  forth  good  and  bad  fruit .'' 
Can  the  long  succession  of  Indian  Viceroys  and  Governors, 
whose  praise  is  in  the  lips  of  all  parties,  whose  Biographies  are 
sold  by  thousands  of  copies,  all  have  been  deceived,  or  were 
they  purposely  blind  and  base  in  this  one  particular  ?  Most  of 
the  speakers  on  this  subject  are  of  third  and  fourth  rate  calibre, 
and  some  really  good  speakers,  when  they  handle  the  opium 
pipe,  fall  short  of  their  usual  excellence,  as  if  out  of  their  depth, 
or  uncertain  of  the  drift  of  their  policy:  occasionally,  really 
great  men  have  stepped  down  into  the  arena.  Lord  Salisbury 
and  Mr.  Gladstone  were  at  one  on  this  issue :  the  former  states- 
man remarked,  in  a  somewhat  bantering  tone,  that  the  deputation 

Raised  a  very  large  question,  when  they  asked  them  to  interfere  in  any  way 
to  discourage  the  action  of  private  enterprise  in  supplying  a  drug,  which  the 
Chinese  preferred  to  take.  He  could  not  hold  out  any  hope  that  any  legislation 
in  that  direction  was  probable.  If  he  were  to  assign  a  time,  when  such 
legislation  might  be  undertaken,  he  should  say  it  would  be  subsequent  to  the 
time,  when  a  Bill  was  passed  preventing  the  sale  of  spirits  in  England. 

But  Mr.  Gladstone,  in  1880,  raised  the  question  above  its 
usual  level,  and  touched  a  higher  chord  :  he  said  : 

Do  not  let  it  be  supposed,  that  I  am  treating  this  subject  with  indifference. 
The  charge  is  that  this  subject  has  been  approached  from  a  very  low  level  of 
morality  (hear,  hear).  Let  us  see,  then,  whether  we  cannot  escape  from  this 
low  level  of  morality,  and  resort  to  the  high  level  of  morality  which  is  re- 
commended. If  we  are  told,  that  we  must  abolish  this  traffic,  then  the  charge 
has  no  meaning  at  all,  unless  we  assume  the  obligation  on  the  part  of  the 
people  of  England.  Either  we  are  to  assume  the  obligation  on  the  part  of  the 
people  of  England,  or  content  ourselves  at  the  present  moment  with  giving  a 
promise  that  something  will  be  done  in  the  future.  It  would  be  a  very  high 
level  of  morality  indeed,  in  one  point  of  view,  if  we  were  prepared  on  behalf  of 
our  constituents  to  put  ^d.  or  ^d.  on  the  income-tax,  and  assume  the  payment 
of  these  seven  millions.  That  would  be  taking  our  stand  on  a  high  level  of 
morality.  Bat  that  is  no  part  of  the  debate.  That  is  not  proposed  ;  therefore 
that  is  not  the  level  of  the  morality.  It  must  be  some  other  level  of  morality, 
and  let  us  see  what  it  is. 

And  how  injudicious,  and  impolitic,  and  indeed  un-Christian, 


(      102      ) 

has  been  the  mode  of  agitation  adopted.  Hard  words  and  gross 
insults  have  been  heaped  upon  a  body  of  men,  who  for  a  long 
series  of  years  have  watched  over  the  interests  of  the  great 
Indian  people.  No  close  Corporation,  no  City  Guild,  no  Com- 
pany of  Merchants,  has  been  fattened  by  the  Poppy-cultivation. 
It  is  notorious,  that  the  Government  of  India  is  renewed  every 
five  years  by  both  the  great  parties  of  the  State,  and  a  long  line 
of  illustrious  statesmen,  and  an  army  of  less  distinguished  but 
no  less  honest  and  single-minded  servants  of  the  State,  both 
Civil  and  Military,  have  made  India  their  study  and  delight. 
Some,  like  Lord  Elgin,  have  brought  Chinese  experience  to 
India;  others,  like  Lord  Napier  of  Magdala,  have  served  in  both 
countries.  There  has  been  a  Government  at  home  independent 
of  the  Government  of  India,  and  yet  there  has  been  an  absolute 
uniformity  of  opinion  on  this  great  question,  shared  by  every 
one  of  the  servants  of  the  Queen,  who  had  studied  the  subject. 
Nor  have  the  distinguished  representatives  of  England  in  China 
arrived  at  a  contrary  opinion.  I  have  myself  taken  the  oppor- 
tunity of  personally  consulting  members  of  the  China  Diplomatic 
Body  on  their  return  to  England,  and  I  have  received  always 
the  same  reply.  To  show  the  length  to  which  this  abuse  has 
gone,  I  mention  that  in  my  presence  a  Member  of  Parliament, 
at  a  great  public  meeting,  asserted  that  the  "  gold  coin,  called 
a  Sovereign,  was  large  enough  to  hide  the  name  of  God,"  as  if 
any  of  the  distinguished  champions  of  the  policy  pursued  by  the 
Government  of  India  for  the  last  forty  years  had  the  remotest 
pecuniary  interest  in  the  matter.  They  were  not  slave-holders 
fighting  to  retain  their  slaves,  or  monopolists  struggling  to  retain 
their  monopoly,  or  rack-renting  landlords  to  maintain  their  right 
of  eviction,  but  persons  totally  uninterested  in  the  issue,  but 
convinced,  that  an  attempt  was  being  made  to  force  a  policy 
contrary  to  the  rights  and  interests  of  the  people  of  India. 

Let  me  consider  the  matter  from  the  Chinese  side  of  the 
question.  I  am  not  careful  to  defend  the  use  of  the  drug,  or  to 
assert  that  opium-smoking  is  innocuous.  ,  So  much  I  can  say 
from  knowledge.  I  lived  a  great  many  years  among  the  Sikhs 
of  the  Panjab,  who  habitually  swallowed  opium-pills,  and  a  finer, 
manlier,  more  prolific  race  cannot  be  found.  In  China  Alillions 
I  find  at  page  32,  1879,  that  Opium  was  plentiful  in  Yunan,  and 
yet  the  people  had  a  well  to-do  appearance  and  good  houses, 
notwithstanding  that  the  narcotic,  home-grown,  could  be  pur- 
chased for  a  trifle.  Mr.  Cooper  remarks,  that  it  would  be  death 
to  a  large  portion  of  the  population  suddenly  to  stop  the  supply, 
and  that  the  Chinese  Government,  in  wishing  to  stop  the  Indian 
opium,  were  acting,  as  they  generally  do,  without  any  idea  of 
the  welfare  of  the  people.  I  read  in  the  Frund  of  China,  1883, 
page  221,  that  the  elders  of  a  village  begged  that  the  cultivation 


(     103    ) 

of  the  poppy  might  be  stopped  in  their  village,  remarking  that 
about  one  per  cent,  would  smoke  Indian  opium,  while  twenty 
per  cent,  smoked  home-grown  opium.  The  greatest  anti-opium 
agitator  is  obliged  to  admit,  that  no  reliance  could  be  placed 
upon  edicts  from  Pekin,  as  they  meant  nothing,  and  were  only 
bland  expressions  of  Confucian  morality.  Moreover,  they  are 
known  to  mean  nothing,  and  subordinates  in  high  office  smoked 
opium,  and  collected  excise  on  imported  opium,  and  took  bribes 
to  permit  home-grown  "opium :  attempts  to  stop  cultivation,  or 
destroy  cultivation,  notoriously  failed.  It  transpires,  that  the 
Chinese  themselves,  while  their  Rulers  were  denouncing  the 
trade  of  the  Europeans,  were  exporting  opiutn  from  Yunan  to 
Barma.  There  seems  little  doubt,  that  the  amount  of  home- 
grown opium  far  exceeded  the  imported  opium,  and  the  real 
objection  of  the  Chinese  Government  was  to  the  annual  drain 
of  silver  from  China,  as  the  balance  of  trade  was  against  them. 
It  is  notorious,  that  the  Chinese  Government  levy  an  excise  upon 
home-grown  opium  exceeding  one  million,  and  levy  a  differential 
duty  on  land  cultivated  with  the  poppy. 

But  of  all  things  the  idea  is  to  be  deprecated  of  making 
China  a  corpus  vile,  upon  which  benevolent  enthusiasts  desire  to 
inaugurate  a  polic)',  which  they  are  totally  unable  to  enforce  at 
home.  One  authority  reports  that  opium-smoking  is  a  pleasure, 
which  it  is  quite  possible  to  enjoy  in  moderation,  and  take  in 
the  same  way  as  the  Scotchman  takes  his  whisky  ;  and  a 
Chinaman  stupefied  by  opium  is  a  much  less  terrible  person 
than  a  Scotchman  excited  by  whisky.  Setting  aside,  however, 
such  considerations,  there  is  no  doubt,  that  the  violent  extirpa- 
tion of  opium-smoking  in  China  is  as  impossible  as  that  of  gin- 
drinking  in  Great  Britain.  When  men  are  persuaded  that  the 
practice  is  undesirable,  the  fashion  will  die  out ;  but  attempts 
to  compel  them  before  they  are  so  convinced  can  only  lead 
to  aggravation  of  the  ills  complained  of.  Why  should  an 
enlightened  Government,  such  as  the  British,  recommend  the 
tottering  dynasty  of  the  Chinese  Empire  to  interfere  with  the 
private  habits  of  the  people  1  This  would  be  dangerous  even  in 
England,  where  the  people  are  educated  and  enlightened.  We 
should  never  attempt  such  a  crusade  in  India.  Mr.  Herbert 
Spencer,  in  his  late  work,  "Man  versus  the  State,"  shows  that  we 
are  advancing  too  far  in  that  direction  in  England,  and  over- 
governing,  and  therefore  mis-governing.  The  Sikh  Government, 
which  preceded  us  in  the  Panjab,  forbade  the  use  of  tobacco,  or 
the  slaughter  of  kine,  but  tolerated  the  burning  of  widows, 
the  killing  of  female  infants,  and  the  burying  alive  of  lepers. 
Mahometan  rulers  forbid  liquor- shops,  while  they  tolerate 
Polygamy,  and  punish  an  abandonment  of  the  INIahometan 
religion    by  death.      In  the    Papal    States   change   of  religion 


(     104    ) 

and  matrimony  to  a  large  proportion  of  the  people  were 
forbidden,  but  there  was  no  objection  to  State  Lotteries, 
licentious  lives,  and  liquor-shops.  Leave  the  people  in  their 
pleasures  and  their  private  habits  alone,  so  long  as  they  refrain 
from  breaches  of  the  peace,  and  appropriation  of  the  property 
of  others.  Leave  it  to  moral  pressure,  and  education,  and 
general  advancement,  to  control,  diminish,  and  eventually 
eradicate  the  particular  moral  weaknesses,  from  which  no  one 
nation  is  free,  though  they  differ  in  character  and  degree.  It  is 
very  easy  to  make  a  treaty,  forbidding  the  importation  of  opium 
into  Japan,  because  the  people  are  not  addicted  to  the  drug.  It 
is  still  easier  for  the  Government  of  the  United  States  to  make 
a  treaty  forbidding  the  export  of  opium  from  North  America, 
considering,  that  no  opium  is  grown  in  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  United  States :  whether  American  citizens  abstain  from 
the  trade  in  the  Chinese  seas  is  very  doubtful.  So  random 
are  the  assertions,  that  it  is  a  relief  to  find,  that  no  one  has  yet 
charged  the  Indian  Government  with  introducing  the  cultivation 
of  the  poppy  into  Western  China,  via  Thibet  and  Barma,  from 
pure  motives  of  mischief,  to  complete  the  proofs  that  the 
Government  consisted  of  men  who  were  both  knaves  and  fools. 
The  import  of  opium  from  Persia  is  comparatively  insignificant. 
Borneo  opium  up  to  this  time  is  only  a  possibility.  On  the 
Zamb6si,  in  East  Africa,  the  Portuguese  have  commenced  the 
cultivation,  and  send  the  opium  to  India.  One  of  the  chief 
resources  of  the  Dutch  Government  in  the  Indian  Archipelago 
is  opium :  it  is  sold  to  the  Chinese,  and  forms  one-tenth  of  the 
revenue  of  the  colony.  Here  is  a  National  Sin  in  the  embryo 
stage. 

It  must  be  recollected,  that  the  Chinese  Empire  is  sending 
colonists  literally  all  over  the  world,  and  they  take  their  pipe 
with  them,  and  it  is  asserted,  that  they  recommend  with  success 
the  custom  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  where  they  settle. 
This  fact  does  not  bear  on  the  subject  of  importation  of  Indian 
opium  into  China,  and  is  only  mentioned  by  the  Anti-Opium 
Society  by  way  of  aggravation.  There  are,  however,  colonies 
of  Chinese  in  Singapur,  the  Malay  States,  the  Islands  of 
Sumatra  and  Java,  the  French  Settlements  of  Saigon,  and  the 
Kingdom  of  Siam,  as  well  as  in  Peru  and  California.  They  all 
smoke  opium,  and  are  beyond  the  influence  of  the  Chinese 
Government,  but  they  intercept  a  portion  of  the  Indian  opium 
shipped  for  the  China  seas.  The  Chinese  at  Singapiir  are 
robust,  hearty  and  energetic  beyond  other  Eastern  races,  and 
yet  beyond  doubt  they  are  all  smokers.  Is  it  expected,  that 
in  Australia,  Hong-Kong  and  Singapur,  British  Colonies,  the 
crime  of  smoking  opium  is  to  be  {)unished  in  the  Courts  of 
Law }     It  is  whispered  that   the   practice    has  commenced   in 


(     105    ) 

London,  and  is  extensive  in  the  United  States  of  North 
America. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  Chinese  Government  has  been 
false  throughout.  In  spite  of  the  high  moral  seasoning  which 
distinguishes  their  arguments,  the  real  taste  of  their  flesh  is 
sometimes  discovered.  The  Grand  Secretary  argued  to  Sir 
T.  Wade,  that  the  fair  thing  would  be  for  the  Indian  Govern- 
ment to  divide  the  enormous  profits  on  the  export  of  opium 
with  China,  share  and  share  alike.  He  declined  to  give  up  his 
revenue  on  home-grown  opium.  In  "fact,  he  showed  himself 
to  be  a  ruler  of  men,  and  not  a  member  of  an  irresponsible 
voluntary  association.  The  Mandarins  and  the  Governors  of 
Provinces  smoke  themselves,  and  make  a  profit  upon  the  drug. 
The  real  solution  of  the  difficulty  will  be  to  deal  with  home- 
raised  and  foreign  opium  upon  an  equitable  adjustment  of  excise, 
transit-duty,  and  customs. 

Let  me  consider  the  matter  from  the  Indian  point  of  view. 
I  took  the  opportunity  of  stating,  some  years  ago,  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Committee  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  that  the 
Government  of  India  had  nailed  its  flag  to  the  mast,  and  that  I 
rejoiced,  that  it  had  done  so.  The  Viceroy  in  Council  has 
recorded  his  opinion,  that  the  sudden  loss  on  the  excise  would 
cause  insolvency :  this  is  stated  in  language  not  capable  of 
misapprehension:  other  sources  of  revenue  are  not  available, 
and  reduction  of  expenditure  is  impossible.  The  abolition  of 
the  export  duty  would  confer  a  very  doubtful  benefit  on  the 
Chinese,  but  it  would  do  incalculable  harm  to  the  millions  of 
India.  Perhaps  this  is  overstated,  as  empires  and  nations  have 
survived  heavier  losses.  I  was  very  sorry  to  hear,  that  an  attempt 
had  been  made  to  widen  the  cultivation  in  the  North-West 
Provinces,  but  it  proved  to  be  an  utter  failure.  The  cultivators 
stated,  that  they  had  been  badly  used  in  old  days,  that  they  did 
not  now  understand  the  cultivation,  and  had  other  crops  which 
paid  as  well,  and  they  wanted  no  change.  The  improvement  of 
communication  enabled  more  bulky  produce,  such  as  sugar-cane 
and  potatoes,  to  be  carried  to  distant  markets,  and  the  poppy  is 
driven  to  inferior  lands.  It  is  satisfactory  to  know  that  the  area 
of  500,000  acres,  now  occupied  by  the  poppy,  will  not  be 
enlarged. 

It  appears,  that  not  more  than  ^200,000  is  realized  from 
opium  sold  in  India  at  the  different  Collectorates.  India 
abounds  in  stimulants  and  narcotics,  and  opium  is  only  one  of 
many.  The  Arian  nations  seem  to  prefer  to  swallow  the  drug, 
the  Non-Arian  to  smoke  it.  I  have  often  as  Collector  superin- 
tended the  sale  of  the  opium  to  the  local  retailers :  if  a  prisoner 
were  found  to  be  addicted  to  opium,  he  had  to  be  supplied  with 
daily  decreasing  doses,  so  as  to  wean  him  of  the  habit  without 


(     106     ) 

endangering  his  life :  only  once  I  came  upon  two  men  from  the 
Himalaya  (whence  also  much  opium  is  imported  into  India) 
who  were  hopelessly,  addicted  to  the  practice,  and  were 
miserable  .objects.  In  the  early  days  of  our  rule  in  the 
Panjab,  where  the  cultivation  has  never  been  restricted,  post, 
a  decoction  of  opium,  was  sold  openly  in  the  shops  licensed 
for  the  purpose.  In  Western  India  a  decoction  of  opium  is 
sold  publicly  in  the  cities,  and  called  Kusumba.  The  Anti- 
Opium  Society  will  scarcely  find  proofs,  that  with  such  vast 
stores  of  opium  available  in  British  India,  we  have  attempted 
to  raise  revenue  by  encouraging  our  subjects  to  indulge  vicious 
habits.  We  have  raised  the  largest  possible  revenue  out  of  the 
smallest  possible  supply,  but  this  subject  will  be  discussed  in  the 
following  Essay. 

There  is  not  the  least  probability  of  the  present  policy  being 
abandoned  or  modified,  but  it  is  as  well  to  consider  what  is 
possible  or  the  contrary.  W^e  might  abandon  the  export  duty, 
and  set  the  Indian  opium  as  free  as  indigo  and  grain.  The 
consequences  would  be  an  enormous  increase  of  the  exported 
article,  an  excessive  fall  of  the  price  of  the  drug  in  China,  and 
such  a  defalcation  in  the  Indian  revenue  as  would  cause  insolvency 
for  the  time  at  least.  If  an  attempt  were  made  to  impose  other 
taxes,  we  may  imagine  the  indignation  of  the  people  of  India: 
the  mass  of  the  population  is  very  poor:  the  salt  tax  ought 
to  be  reduced :  to  impose  further  burdens  merely  to  gratify 
a  moral  whim  of  a  small  portion  of  the  British  people,  who  had 
taken  up  an  extreme  view .  of  the  subject,  would  be  a  cruel 
injustice,  and  arouse  a  keen  sense  of  wrong  wilfully  and  widely 
inflicted,  and  would  go  far  to  justify  a  Rebellion. 

We  might  abolish  the  Monopoly,  and  disconnect  th«  State 
with  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  the  drug.  To  some  tender 
and  uninstructed  consciences  the  very  existence  of  this 
Monopoly  aggravates  the  evil,  and,  as  a  rule,  all  INIonopolies 
are  wrong,  and  I  am  in  favour  of  the  abolition  at  all  risks ; 
but  if  the  State  withdrew,  its  place  would  4t  once  be  occupied 
by  a  Company,  and  very  serious  considerations  would  arise. 
So  inexplicable  are  the  reasons  which  guide  good  men  in 
their  actions,  that  it  is  possible,  that  some  of  the  loudest 
denouncers  of  the  National  Sin,  as  the  IManufacture  is  called, 
might  be  found  among  the  shareholders  of  this  new  Company. 
On  the  death  of  an  advanced  total  abstainer  a  few  years  ago, 
he  was  found  to  have  shares  in  a  hotel,  which  held  a  liquor 
licence,  and  his  family  could  not  see  the  inconsistency.  But  the 
abolition  of  the  Monopoly  cannot  be  looked  upon  only  from  the 
financial  point  of  view,  but  as  a  measure  affecting  the  well- 
being  of  the  {)eople  of  India.  A  great  Company,  seeking  only 
a  good  dividend,  would  flood  the  country  with  opium,  with  great 


(     I07    ) 

injury  to  the  people.  It  is  true,  that  no  Monopoly  exists  in  the 
West  of  India,  whence  nearly  half  the  export  duty  is  collected, 
but  the  poppy  cultivation  is  entirely  within  the  territory  of  Native 
States,  whose  system  differs  entirely  from  our  own.  It  is  obvious, 
that  a  State-Monopoly  is  the  severest  of  all  fiscal  restraints, 
and  those,  who  really  desire  the  export  to  be  reduced,  should  not 
seek  to  destroy  the  Alonopoly,  however  scandalized  they  may  be 
by  its  existence. 

We  might  forbid  the  export,  in  the  same  way  as  the  Govern- 
ment of  Italy  forbids  the  export  of  works  of  art,  but  it  would  be 
impossible  to  prevent  smuggling  with  a  seaboard  of  two  thousand 
miles.  The  people  of  India  would  resent  the,  to  them,  unintel- 
ligible policy  of  interference  with  a  profitable  trade,  contrary  to  all 
the  well-established  principles  of  political  economy.  The  cost  of 
the  preventive  force  would  be  very  heavy,  and  the  interference 
with  other  trades  very  annoying.  In  fact,  such  a  measure 
scarcely  comes  within  practical  politics,  and  we  should  have  the 
Native  Chiefs  of  Central  India  to  deal  with  :  they  derive  a  large 
revenue  from  the  cultivation  of  the  Poppy :  '  the  prohibition  of 
export  would  entirely  destroy  this,  and  they  would  demand 
compensation,  and  so  would  the  Landholders  of  Bangal. 
Who  would  satisfy  these  lawful  demands  arising  from  incon- 
siderate legislation  ? 

I'hat  we  should  prohibit  the  culture  of  the  poppy  within 
British  India  is  a  thing  that  is  not  possible.  It  would  be  a 
policy  unworthy  of  an  enlightened  Government,  and  would 
be  incapable  of  execution.  It  is  true,  that  we  can  restrict  the 
culture  to  certain  regions  which  are  most  suitable  to  the  crop. 
I  have  had  considerable  experience  in  the  North  of  India 
from  the  river  Karamnasa  to  the  river  Indus,  and  consider  it 
impossible  to  forbid  absolutely  any  culture.  Moreover,  the 
regions,  where  the  poppy  grows,  are  the  recruiting  grounds  of 
the  Native  Army,  and  they  would  have  a  word  to  say  in  this 
matter.  If  the  culture  were  prohibited  in  British  India,  and 
allowed  to  continue  in  the  Native  States,  the  production  there 
would  be  stimulated  :  the  attempt  to  prohibit  the  culture  in 
the  independent  Native  States  of  Rajputana  and  Central  India 
would  either  be  illusory,  or,  if  enforced,  lead  to  very  serious 
consequences,  and  peril  to  the  very  existence  of  our  Empire  in 
India. 

And  at  the  same  time  that  India  was  thus  exposing  herself 
to  perils,  and  expenditure  in  the  maintenance  of  repressive 
establishments,  in  a  fight  against  Nature,  equity  and  common 
sense,  the  Chinaman  would  be  smoking  his  pipe  with  opium 
supplied  by  his  own  country,  or  other  opium-growing  countries, 
not  such  good  opium  perhaps,  but  much  cheaper,  and  in  much 
larger  quantities ;  and  it  is  not  obvious  that,  if  the  Anti-Opium 


(     108     ) 

Society  had  any  definite  ideas  of  its  objects,  it  will  have  gained 
anything,  for  all  the  sad  pictures  of  the  debased  and  ruined 
Chinaman  would  be  as  true,  or  as  deficient  in  truth,  as  ever, 
and  the  Missionary  would  be  met  with  the  same  harrowing 
scenes,  and  would  realize  that  it  is  not  that  which  goeth  into 
a  man  defileth  a  man,  but  his  own  fallen  andcorrupt  nature. 

We  must  recollect,  that  there  is  now  a  powerful  Free  Press 
in  every  part  of  India  and  in  every  language,  and  the  Press 
would  have  a  word  to  say  on  such  an  insane  policy:  and  there 
is  a  power  of  Public  Meetings,  and  the  wild  nonsense  spoken  by 
Young  India  is  only  equalled  by  the  utterances  of  our  Anti-Opium 
platform  in  Great  Britain  :  but  the  latter  is  as  harmless  as  the 
lashing  of  a  dog's  tail :  the  former  may  lead  to  Rebellion,  Mutiny, 
Blood-shedding,  and  loss  of  Empire.  I  do  not  think,  that  the 
Government  of  India  would  entertain  such  a  policy  for  a 
moment,  but  I  wish  the  Anti-Opium  Society  to  understand  the 
ultimate  consequences,  to  which  their  ideas  would  lead. 

I  intimated  this  summer  to  a  friend,  who,  like  myself,  is  a 
Member  of  a  Committee  of  a  Missionary  Society,  that  I  intended 
to  write  a  paper  defending  the  Indian  policy  in  this  matter.  His 
remark  was,  that  I  should  be  soundly  abused  for  so  doing.  I 
am  quite  prepared  for  the  contingency.  Sir  Rutherford  Alcock 
felt  himself  compelled  to  stand  forward  and  enlighten  the  public 
mind,  and  mercenary  motives  were  at  once  attributed  to  him  in 
connection  with  the  New  Borneo  Company.  It  is  the  old  story. 
When  a  man  has  a  bad  case  in  a  court  of  law,  his  only  resource 
is  to  abuse  the  attorney  of  the  opposite  party.  I  admit,  that 
those  who  oppose  the  Indian  policy  are  actuated  by  the  highest 
and  purest  motives :  having  myself  no  interests  whatever  except 
the  promotion  of  Missionary  enterprize,  I  claim  the  same  ad- 
mission in  my  own  favour,  nor  do  I  rush  into  the  controversy 
hurriedly,  as  I  have  had  it  under  consideration  for  more  than  ten 
years,  waiting  for  some  further  dttioucjyient  of  the  Chefu  Conven- 
tion, which  appeared  to  have  disappeared.  Let-  it  be  clearly 
understood,  that  under  no  circumstances  would  the  Government 
of  British  India  admit  into  its  Treasury  income,  of  which  the 
sources  are  tainted,  such  as  the  produce  of  lotteries,  a  tax  on  Hindu 
pilgrimages,  off"erings  to  idol-temples,  the  price  of  slaves,  the 
earnings  of  slave-labour,  the  profits  of  immoral  establishments, 
whether  gambling,  as  at  INIonaco,  or  brothels,  as  in  some 
European  States,  any  more  than  it  would  accept  the  hire  of  the 
assassin,  or  the  premium  pudoris  of  the  unfortunate  classes,  who 
infest  the  great  cities.  The  line  of  demarcation  of  lawful,  and 
unlawful,  income  is  quite  clear.  The  kindly  fruits  of  the  earth, 
blessed  by  the  hand  of  the  Creator,  are  intended  to  be  gathered. 
In  the  case  of  the  poppy  they  are  thrice  blessed,  supplying 
comfort  to  the  cultivator,  rent  to  the  land-owner,  land-revenue 


(     109    ) 

to  the  State,  and  over  and  above,  a  magnificent  export-duty. 
If  foolish  men  make  a  bad  use  of  the  exports,  after  they  have 
left  the  shores  of  India,  that  is  no  concern  of  the  people  of 
India,  and  the  so-called  Government  of  India  is  but  the  Trustee 
of  the  great  people  committed  by  Providence  to  its  charge. 
Neither  in  morals,  nor  by  the  law  of  nations,  can  a  legitimate 
commerce  be  impugned.  If  fanciful  and  romantic  objections 
were  admitted,  the  Quakers  would  object  to  villainous  saltpetre, 
as  being  the  component  of  gunpowder.  The  total  abstainer 
would  object  to  the  Palm  Tree,  hemp,  sugar,  and  rice,  whence 
intoxicating  liquor  is  distilled.  It  is  mere  hypocrisy  in  a  nation, 
which  exports  rum,  gin,  and  gunpowder  in  such  enormous 
quantities  from  British  ports  to  Africa,  and  which,  among  many 
noble  qualities,  is  noted  for  the  drunkenness  of  a  portion  of  its 
people,  to  feel  such  a  tenderness  for  the  besotted  Chinese.  It 
would  be  much  easier  for  those,  who  think  with  me,  to  sail  with 
the  wind,  and  throw  overboard  the  interests  of  the  people  of 
India.  Sir  Wilfred  Lawson  is  the  only  consistent  antagonist, 
for  he  would  go  to  the  root  of  the  matter,  arid  place  opium  and 
alcohol  in  the  same  category,  adding  a  plea  for  mercy  in  favour 
of  opium,  as  the  opium-smoker  is  not  a  wife-beater,  a  ruthless 
murderer,  a  breaker  of  the  peace,  and  a  public  nuisance. 

It  maybe  distinctly  asserted,  that  the  opium  trade  is  not  based 
upon  force :  the  Chinese  are  quite  strong  enough  to  exclude  it, 
if  they  chose,  and  their  being  ready  to  resist  the  French  on  a 
much  less  important  grievance,  proves  that  they  could  do  so, 
and  they  know,  as  every  one  knows,  that  Great  Britain  would 
never  attempt  to  force  the  drug  into  China  by  war.  But,  when 
force  is  so  vigorously  denounced,  have  the  leaders  of  the 
movement  reflected  upon  the  meaning  of  the  term,  which  they 
so  often  use  ?  By  force  of  character  and  of  arms,  Great  Britain 
has  raised  herself  to  her  present  lofty  position  :  by  force  she 
vanquished  the  Spaniards,  the  French,  and  the  Russians,  subdued 
vast  kingdoms  in  Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  Oceania,  and  brought 
under  subjection  a  large  portion  of  the  world.  Our  Indian 
Empire  is  based  upon  force  :  our  prestige  throughout  the  world 
is  based  on  our  potential,  or  stored,  force.  I  have  been  pelted 
by  little  boys  in  the  towns  of  Turkey,  and  have  walked  alone  at 
my  ease,  and  respected,  in  the  great  cities  of  India :  this  was 
owing  to  the  force  stored  up  in  our  cantonments.  It  was  not 
the  outcome  of  treaties,  but  of  conquest.  I  have  accompanied 
deputations  of  Missionary  Societies  to  the  Foreign  Office,  to 
solicit  Justice,  or  Protection  :  what  enables  Great  Britain  to  act, 
while  Switzerland  and  Sweden  submit  in  silence,  but  Force  ? 

Some  years  ago  I  described  to  Giuseppe  Garibaldi,  the  Italian 
Liberator,  our  system  in  British  India  :  he  remarked,  that  we  were 
no  better  than  the  Austrians  after  all ;  and  this  has  often  led  me  to 


(       HO      ) 

reflect  upon  our  inconsistent  position,  for  in  Europe,  we  are  the 
champions  of  every  State,  which  seeks  for  political  liberty,  and 
in  Asia  we  are  ourselves  despots.  The  only  reply  is,  that  we 
are  there,  and  it  is  not  practical  to  leave  India :  but,  while  we 
are  there,  we  are  bound  to  stand  up  for  the  people  of  India,  and 
be  their  champion  against  the  Manchester  manufacturers ; 
against  the  sentimental  philanthropist;  against  our  own  country- 
men, who  come  to  fill  their  pockets  and  go  home  again :  we  are 
bound  to  protect  the  Indian  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  laws,  customs, 
lands,  and  civil  rights :  if  we  cannot  give  him  political  liberty, 
he  shall  have  everything  short  of  it :  if  he  cannot  have  a 
Constitution  like  the  colonies  of  Great  Britain,  he  has  a  strong 
phalanx  of  men,  who  have  known  India  from  their  youth,  and 
loved  the  people,  and  are  ready  to  resist  any  attempt  to  oppress 
them,  deprive  them  of  equality  in  the  courts  of  law,  or  of  free 
trade,  and  free  commerce.  If  the  Chinese  do  not  like  the 
products  of  India,  they  can  let  them  alone.  The  Indian  ports 
are  open  to  every  possible  product  of  Chinese  industry.  If  the 
Chinese  prefer  their  home-grown  opium,  be  it  so,  and  India 
will  seek  other  markets,  and  develope  other  industries  ;  but  it 
will  do  so  by  its  own  spontaneous  action,  and  not  under  the 
threats  of  benevolent  enthusiasts  in  a  distant  country. 

However  dark  the  colours  may  be,  with  which  the  Cultivation  of 
the  Poppy  is  painted,  it  is  there,  and,  if  the  Government  of  British 
India  abolished  its  jMonopoly,  and  remitted  the  export-duty,  and 
set  the  cultivation  of  the  poppy  free,  the  trade  would  not  be 
diminished,  but  would  be  enormously  expanded.  It  is  said  of 
King  Henry  V.,  that  he  intended,  if  he  had  conquered  France, 
to  destroy  all  the  vines  with  a  view  of  arresting  drunkenness. 
The  late  Maharaja  of  Pateala  allowed  no  distilleries  and  dancing- 
girls  within  his  territory;  but  the  extent  of  his  administrative 
capacity  may  be  measured  by  the  fact,  that  I  tried  in  vain,  in 
a  personal  interview,  to  persuade  him  to  allow  me  to  open  a 
post-office  in  his  dominions.  It  is,  however,  beyond  the  power 
of  Viceroys,  or  Parliaments,  or  even  Philanthropic  Associations, 
to  fight  against  Nature,  and  exclude  from  culture  and  commerce 
one  of  the  richest  gifts  of  the  earth.  By  restricting  the  culture 
to  certain  tracts  (of  which  the  soil  is  most  suitable  to  its  cultiva- 
tion), we  can  create  a  Monopoly,  and  restrain  the  culture  beyond 
certain  limits  ;  but  as  to  forbidding  it  altogether  in  the  central 
poppy  region  in  our  own  territory,  it  is  impossible,  and,  if  it 
were  possible,  it  would  be  a  difficult  and  costly  operation  to  war 
against  Nature  and  freedom  of  culture  under  the  influence  of  a 
mere  fancy.  Still  less  feasible  would  any  attempt  be  to  arrest 
the  culture  in  the  territory  of  the  independent  (Chiefs  of  Central 
India.  It  is  possible  that  if  prices  fell,  the  culture  would  be 
given  up  in  outlying  districts,  and  other  staples  would  prove 


(  III  ) 

more  profitable  ;  but  this  matter  would  be  settled  by  the  cultivator 
himself,  and  not  by  the  State. 

The  people  of  China  will  soon  have  unlimited  supplies  of 
home-grown  opium.  The  action  of  the  Anti-Opium  Society 
has  helped  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  Chinese  authorities  to  the 
policy  of  this  counter-action,  which  will  arrest  the  export  of 
silver,  and  still  supply  the  much-coveted  drug.  British  India  will 
suffer  for  the  time,  but  it  is  not  clear  what  the  morals  of  the  Chinese 
will  gain.  The  Chinese  Government  now  thoroughly  under- 
stand that  no  force  will  be  used  to  introduce  the  Indian  drug, 
and  they  are  anxious  to  share  the  vast  revenue  by  imposing  a 
transit-duty.  If  a  few  millions  make  use  of  the  Indian-imported 
opium,  which  does  not  penetrate  far  into  the  country,  scores  of 
millions  will  learn  to  smoke  the  home-grown  opium  manufactured 
in  their  midst.  When  the  Indian  export  trade  has,  under  the 
inexorable  laws  of  Supply  and  Demand,  shrunk  into  nothing, 
it  is  not  obvious  whether  the  Anti-Opium  Society  will  congratu- 
late themselves  upon  the  extinction  of  the  so-called  National 
Sin,  or  feel  like  engineers  hoist  with  their' own  petard,  when 
they  contemplate  the  enormous  increase  of  opium-smokers  in 
China. 

In  the  mean  time  the  march  of  events  seems  likely  to 
extinguish  the  Opium  trade  and  the  Anti-Opium  Society  in  one 
common  ruin.     1  quote  the  last  accounts : 

There  cannot  be  any  doubt,  but  that  the  foreign  drug  will  be  driven,  slowly 
perhaps,  but  steadily,  by  native  competition,  from  the  China  market.  The 
records  of  the  foreign  Customs,  and  the  Consular  service,  the  testimony  of 
travellers  and  Missionaries,  supply  evidence  on  this  point  which  cannot  be 
doubted.  The  three  northern  Ports,  in  one  year,  show  a  loss  amounting  to  27 
per  cent,  of  their  total  imports.  The  native  drug  has  so  much  improved,  that 
it  is  there  driving  the  foreign  article  from  the  market,  even  though  the  foreign 
prices  had  been  reduced  from  9  to  24  per  cent,  from  those  of  the  previous  year. 
Sechuan  opium  is  fast  supplanting  the  foreign  on  the  Yangtze,  the  distribution 
being  largely  carried  on  through  boatmen  and  foot  travellers,  who  tell  no  tales. 
In  F'ormosa  and  South  China  generally,  though  the  decline  of  the  opium 
imported  through  the  Customs  is  marked,  the  consumption  is  said  not  to  be 
largely  on  the  decrease,  owing  presumably  to  contraband  supplies,  nor  does  the 
native  article  as  yet  interfere  largely  with  the  foreign  drug.  The  reason  for  this 
is  simple.  The  opium  of  Yunan  and  Sechuan  cannot  yet  compete  with  the 
Indian  opium,  adulterated,  as  sold  at  the  ports  of  Formosa,  Amoy,  Swatow, 
Pakhoi  or  fJoihow,  where  it  is  delivered,  principally  by  means  of  junks  from 
Singapiir  and  Hong-Kong,  mainly,  of  course,  the  latter  place.  It  resolves 
itself  into  a  simple  question  of  cost  of  carriage. 

Among  the  reasons  assigned  for  this  decrease  are  the  action  of  the  Chinese 
authorities  towards  discouraging  the  practice,  and  the  depressed  condition  of 
trade.  The  latter  is  undoubtedly  a  great  factor  in  the  case,  but  I  have  no 
faith  in  the  former.  That  the  authorities  are  taking  any  serious  steps  towards 
the  suppression  of  the  drug  is  not  to  be  credited,  least  of  all  by  any  one  who 
has  travelled  in  Interior  China.  Like  the  Abbe  Hue,  from  personal  experience 
gained  in  Chinese  travel,  I  can  say  :  "  Pendant  notre  long  voyage  en  Chine, 
nous  n'avons  pas  rencontre  un  seul  tribunal  ou  on  ne  fumat  I'opium  ouvertement 


(  112  ) 

et  impunement."  It  is  found,  in  the  opium  province?,  growing  under  the  walls 
of  nearly  every  court-house.  All  travellers  are  agreed  in  this,  that  Yunan  and 
Sechuan  opium  is  rapidly  increasing  in  quantity  and  improving  in  quality.  It 
is  fast  forcing  its  way  to  the  seaboard  ;  being  already  brought  there  and  shipped 
along  the  coast,  although  as  yet  in  small  quantities.  The  poppy  is  spreading 
over  other  provinces,  and  as  the  value  of  the  crop  is  double  that  of  wheat,  it  is  fast 
replacing  that  dry-weather  crop.  The  use  of  the  Indian  drug,  since  the  improve- 
ment of  "the  native  article,  is  becoming,  slowly  but  surely,  a  luxury  only  for  the 
more  affluent  trader  or  official.  Perfected  still  more,  fashion  will  give  its  impri- 
viatiir  to  the  native  article,  and  then  the  foreign  drug  will  be  doomed. 

The  owner  of  a  mine  finds,  that  the  ore  is  exhausted,  and 
he  has  nothing  to  blame  himself  for:  he  has  done  his  work 
scientifically,  but  the  gift  of  Nature  is  exhausted.  So  will  it  be 
with  British  India.  It  made  good  use  of  the  advantages,  which 
fertility  of  soil,  industry,  and  commerce  supplied,  and  when  one 
of  them  fail,  there  is  nothing  for  it  but  to  let  the  export-duty 
die  out,  and  strive  to  face  the  financial  difficulty.  This  is  some- 
thing very  different  from  abandoning  without  cause  an  abundant 
source  of  revenue.  But  this  decay  of  resources  will  be  a  work 
of  time,  and  the  Cultivation  of  the  Poppy,  with  its  shower  of  silver 
upon  India,  will,  though  perceptibly  diminishing,  scarcely  dis- 
appear in  this  generation.  The  Missionaries  in  China  will  restrict 
themselves  to  their  proper  duty  of  preaching  the  Gospel,  sadder 
at  the  spectacle  of  the  awful  increase  of  opium-smoking,  perhaps 
wiser  in  having  learnt,  that  it  is  idle  to  fight  against  Nature, 
free-trade,  and  the  liberty  of  each  man  to  control  his  own 
actions  in  things  not  forbidden  by  the  laws  of  civilized  nations. 
The  Government  of  British  India  will  have  to  restrict  its  many 
plans  of  usefulness.  The  Anti-Opium  Society  will  cease  its  exer- 
tions, unless,  under  the  guidance  of  more  thorough  and  earnest 
leaders,  it  turns  its  attention  to  gin,  rum,  and  French  brandy, 
exported  to  West  Africa  or  consumed  in  Great  Britain. 

My  own  feeling  has  ever  been  in  favour  of  getting  rid,  at  as 
early  a  date  as  possible,  and  at  some  sacrifice  of  revenue,  of  the 
Monopoly,  because  a  Monopoly  in  itself  is  wrong,  and  in  this 
case  a  scandal  to  some  minds,  and  it  seemed  feasible  to  arrive 
at  the  same  results  on  the  East  side  of  India,  which  have 
spontaneously  arisen  on  the  West  side ;  but  I  am  assured  by 
experts,  that  the  abolition  of  the  Monopoly  would  be  prejudicial 
to  the  best  interests  of  the  people  of  India,  and  that  is  with  me  the 
paramount  consideration.  I  have  already  stated  that,  if  I  were 
satisfied  that  opium  were  introduced  by  force  into  the  Provinces 
of  China  outside  the  Treaty-ports,  I  should  join  the  opposite 
party.  Five  years  ago  I  called,  with  another  member  of  the 
Committee  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  by  appointment, 
on  the  late  Sir  Harry  Parkes,  then  luivoy  and  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary at  Jaj)an,  and  satisfied  myself  that  this  allegation  was 
not  true.     A  short  time  ago  a  INIissionary  from  China  told  the 


(     113     ) 

Committee  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  that  the  Chinese 
Government  systematically  neglected  the  provisions  of  the 
Treaty  as  regards  religious  liberty.  I  made  him  repeat  those 
words,  and  then  asked  him,  why  then  it  was  alleged  that  they 
were  afraid  to  do  the  same  with  regard  to  opium  ?  His  reply 
was  that  the  Chinese  were  afraid  of  the  merchants,  but  not  of 
the  Missionaries.     But  I  read  in  the  Times  (October  23,  1884): 

That  for  the  last  nine  or  ten  years  the  Chinese  Government  has  been  allowed 
to  encroach  on  treaty  rights,  and  has  levied  with  impunity  heavy  transit-duties, 
which  have  virtually  nullified  the  treaty-advantages,  and  proved  disastrous  to 
the  sale  of  Manchester  goods  in  the  interior. 

This  is  the  statement  of  a  Hankow  merchant.  In  the  face  of 
such  statements,  and  the  fact,  that  the  Chinese  Government 
is  not  afraid  to  go  to  war  for  ancient  and  shadowy  rights  over 
Tonkin  with  the  French  Government,  how  can  we  believe  the 
Chinese  Government  is  not  able  to  raise  the  transit-duties  upon 
opium  to  such  an  extent  as  to  raise  the  price  and  restrict  the 
sale  }  Is  China  not  strong  enough  to  put  down  smuggling,  if 
the  attempt  were  made  } 

Nor  can  I,  after  calm  reflection  on  the  whole  case,  during  the 
last  fifteen  years,  acquit  the  Anti-Opium  Society  of  being  the 
cause  of  the  miserable  end  of  the  contest,  which  will  have 
injured  the  people  of  British  India  by  the  destruction  of  a  profit- 
able industry  and  export,  and  has  yet  multiplied  the  vice  of  opium- 
smoking  in  China  beyond  any  previous  calculation.  What  was 
their  object  .f*  Did  they  desire  to  arrest  the  vice  in  China,  or  only 
to  free  the  British  Nation  from  the  imputation  of  pandering  to 
that  vice.?  If  we  desired  to  wean  the  British  public  of  their  taste 
for  alcoholic  drink,  we  should  scarcely  commence  a  crusade 
against  cultivators  of  the  Vine,  and  the  French  Government. 
The  line,  which  the  Anti-Opium  Society  adopted,  of  indis- 
criminate abuse  had  two  effects:  it  stiffened  and  hardened  the 
views  of  the  Government  of  India.  The  statesmen  who  were, 
or  had  been.  Viceroys,  and  meritorious  public  servants,  who 
were  or  had  been  Governors  and  high  officials,  felt  injured  by 
the  gross  insinuations  which  they  felt  they  did  not  deserve : 
they  at  least  understood  the  nature  of  the  problem,  but  upon 
the  Committee  of  the  Anti-Opium  Society  there  was  not  one 
Anglo-Indian  of  experience,  nor  was  it  likely  that  there  would 
be  one  :  a  general  feeling  of  resentment  at,  and  contempt  for,  the 
movement  was  felt  in  Anglo-Indian  circles,  both  in  British  India 
and  Great  Britain.  But  their  proceedings  had  another  eff'ect,  not 
contemplated,  but  equally  real.  The  eyes  of  the  Chinese  rulers 
were  opened  to  the  exceeding  value  of  the  product,  and  to  the 
firmness  with  which  the  Indian  Government  held  to  it.  They 
saw  also  how  feeble  were  the  efi'orts  of  the  Anti-Opium  Society, 
whose  motive  was  not  the  welfare  of  the  Chinese,  but  the  alleged 


(     114     ) 

discredit  attaching  to  the  British  name.  Opium  cultivation  was 
found  to  be  as  acceptable  to  the  Chinese  landowners,  the  local 
Governors  and  the  State,  as  it  proved  to  be  in  India.  It  was 
not  clear  what  results  the  Anti-Opium  Society  desired :  it  is 
clear  what  they  have  obtained. 


The  above  remarks  were  written  in  London  in  October,  1884, 
despatched  to  Calcutta,  and  appeared  in  the  pages  of  the 
Calcutta  Rcvinv  on  the  ist  of  January,  1885.  I  had  ho  idea  that 
negociations  were  going  on,  and  that  the  Chefu  Convention 
would  so  soon  be  ratified.  Yet  such  has  been  the  case.  On 
my  return  from  a  prolonged  tour  to  the  Cataracts  in  Egypt, 
where  I  was,  when  Khartum  fell,  and  Gordon  was  killed,  and  a 
tour  through  Palestine  to  Damascus,  I  find  the  death-blow  to 
the  argument  of  force  being  applied  to  the  Chinese  Govern- 
ment has  been  struck,  and  in  the  Paper  (China,  No.  5,  1885) 
presented  to  the  Houses  of  Parliament,  August,  1885,  Marquis 
Tseng  appears  as  a  very  sensible  negociator,  representing  a 
very  sensible  and  enlightened  Government  at  Pekin.  They  have 
entirely  entered  into  the  Commonwealth  of  Nations,  and 
thoroughly  appreciate  the  valuable  addition  to  the  Imperial 
Revenues  by  an  additional  squeeze  of  the  Indian  opium,  which 
pays  the  Customs-duty  for  permission  to  enter  the  Treaty-port, 
and  a  heavy  Transit-duty  for  permission  to  leave  it :  when  sold 
in  retail,  it  may  again  be  taxed,  in  the  form  of  an  Excise,  but 
upon  equitable  principles  with  regard  to  the  Native-grown  Drug. 

The  arrangement  now  sanctioned  is  proposed  by  the  Chinese 
Government:  there  are  no  Confucian  platitudes,  no  high  moral 
sentiments,  but  an  unmistakeable  desire  to  secure  the  Imperial 
Treasury,  as  distinguished  from  the  Provincial  Chests,  as  large' 
an  income  as  possible,  collected  in  advance  at  the  Treaty-port. 
Moreover,  the  information  is  volunteered,  that  the  new  arrange- 
ment will  harmonize  with  existing  Institutions  in  China.  The 
matter  has  stood  over  for  seven  years,  and,  as  if  by  an  irony  of 
Fate,  the  final  arrangements  were  conducted  by  the  Liberal 
Ministry  of  Mr.  Gladstone,  and  brought  to  all  but  a  formal 
conclusion,  but  the  finishing  touch  has  been  given  by  a  Con- 
servative Ministry  under  the  signature  of  Lord  Salisbury.  So 
both  the  great  parties  of  the  State  agree  in  this  sound  and 
profitable  settlement  of  the  controversy. 

It  may  be  asked  then  :  why  add  to  the  controversial  literature  .? 
let  the  dead  dog  lie.  We  shall  probably  hear  little  more  of  the 
Anti-Opium  Society.  They  have  discharged  their  Secretary, 
and  are  content  with  the  occasional  use  of  a  small  room.  It  is 
to  be  hoped,  that  moral  influences  will  be  brought  to  bear  to 
stay  the  plague  of  opium-smoking  among  the  Chinese  People, 


(     115     ) 

and  that  the  great  European,  Australian,  and  North  American 
peoples  will  resist  the  contagion.  Shame  on  them,  if  they  do  not ! 

But  the  mischief  does  not  end  here.  Great  Britain  has  many 
sins  to  answer  for,  both,  in  past  and  present  time.  She  has  used 
the  strength  of  a  giant  as  a  giant,  invading  weaker  countries, 
and  then  abandoning  them ;  but  for  the  manufacture  of  opium 
Great  Britain  is  not  to  blame,  unless  the  new  principle  is 
to  be  laid  down,  that  no  Christian  Nation  is  to  be  allowed  to 
export  Gunpowder,  Arms,  Alcoholic  Drinks,  and  Intoxicating 
Drugs,  and  no  commercial  treaties  are  to.  be  made  with  weaker 
Asiatic  and  African  and  Oceanic  Nations.  To  make  such 
without  a  degree  of  pressure,  which  in  the  case  of  European 
Nations  would  be  intolerable,  is  impossible.  Britons,  by 
unwarrantably  vilifying  their  own  country,  and  in  this  case 
unjustly,  only  give  foreign  nations  the  opportunity  of  echoing  it. 
We  read  with  astonishment  such  expressions  as  the  following : 

The  most  outrageous  and  unpardonable  national  crime  of  any  age. 

These  unjustifiable  expressions  are  quoted  and  amplified  by 
such  excellent  and  respectable  Religious  organs  as  the  Missionary 
Review  of  Princeton,  U.S.A.,  and  are  believed  by  thousands  of 
over-confident  and  uninstructed  readers.  Such  expressions  as 
these  follow,  indicating  gross  ignorance  : 

The  perversion  of  many  hundred  thousand  acres  of  the  best  land  in  India 
from  food  crops  to  crops  of  this  poison  is  the  main  cause  of  the  frequent  famines 
in  that  country.  The  thousands  of  Hindus,  who  grow  the  poppies  and  make 
the  opium,  are  greatly  demorahzed  thereby,  many  of  them  becoming  eaters  or 
smokers  of  the  baneful  stuff,  and  the  opium  vice  is  spreading  in  almost  all  parts 
of  India,  In  Barma  and  Arracan  opium  was  given  away  at  first,  then  sold  at 
a  cheap  rate,  and  the  price  raised  when  the  habit  was  established.  England 
on  a  vast  scale  is  ruining  her  own  subjects  as  well  as  the  Chinese. 

Surely  this  is  somethinglmore  than  ignorance,  and  amounts  to 
Suggestio  Falsi.  It  is  notorious,  that  India  suffers  from  a  glut 
of  Cereals,  and  exports  grain  to  England.  It  is  equally  notorious, 
that  the  amount  of  opium  sold  in  India  is  extremely  limited, 
and  that  the  population  of  the  opium-growing  districts  are 
peculiarly  free  from  the  use  of  the  drug.  It  would  not  be  easy 
to  find  an  opium- Jw^oXvr  in  British  India  west  of  the  Brahmaputra 
River,  except  the  Chinese  immigrants.  As  to  the  alleged  policy 
adopted  in  Barma,  it  is  simply  ridiculous. 

What  will  be  thought  of  the  following  extract  from  a  communi- 
cation by  a  Chinese  Missionary  to  his  credulous  friends : 

The  thing  which  remains  for  us  to  do  now  is  to  give  the  people  the  Gospel 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  meanwhile  to  use  every  effort  to  induce  our  Government  to 
abolish  the  trade  as  far  as  India  is  concerned.  We  must  wipe  our  hands  of 
this  dirty  trade,  though  we  cannot  wipe  out  the  past  ;  theharvest  has  been  sown. 
The  Chinese  regard  it  as  a  direct  act  of  plotting  the  natiojCs  destruction,  equally 
as  much  as  the  conduct  of  a  man,  who  is  guilty  of  administering  poison  to 
another  for  some  evil  advantage. 


(     ii6     ) 

I  was  talking  with  two  men  yesterday  upon  the  subject  of  opium.  One  was 
a  young  fellow,  who  is  now  using  medicine  to  break  off  the  habit.  As  we  were 
talking  of  its  effects,  he  stamped  his  foot,  exclaiming,  "Alas  !  alas  !  from 
where  did  it  first  come?  "  I  answered,  "  From  India  ;  but,"  I  added,  "  no 
one  has  forced  you  to  grow  it,  neither  forced  you  to  eat  it.  There  is  no  foreign 
drug  to  be  bought  here  ;  it  is  all  your  own  production."  Nevertheless  the 
fact  remained  that  Englishmen  introduced  it,  or  at  least  introduced  the  practice 
of  habitual  stnokiiig  ;  before  that,  it  was  scarcely  known,  if  known  at  all. 

The  British  nation  are  undoubtedly  the  sowers  of  this  dreadful  seed  ;  it  has 
yielded  an  abundant  harvest  of  death  and  ruination  in  China.  So  prevalent  is 
the  habit  here,  that  the  bulk  of  the  people  do  not  rise  before  ten  or  eleven 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  and  no  business  is  commenced  in  the  commercial 
houses  until  nearly  mid-day. 

A  distinct  reply  is  required,  and  an  indignant  denial,  and- an 
appeal  to  patent  facts.  We  shall  next  hear  that  the  British 
introduced  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors  among  the  tribes  in 
the  valley  of  the  Kongo  :  fortunately  Henry  Stanley,  an  American 
citizen,  in  his  great  work,  published  in  1885,  mentions  incident- 
ally, that  these  tribes  were  wholly  given  to  the  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors  of  their  own  manufacture,  be/o?-e  they  saiu  a  white  face. 

If  any  one  had  a  dear  friend,  exposed  to  unjust  obloquy, 
affecting  his  whole  moral  character,  would  he,  if  he  had  the 
facts  at  his  command,  maintain  silence .''  If  any  one  were 
deliberately,  and  without  foundation,  to  attack  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  and  Church  Missionary  Society,  to  which 
I  have  devoted  the  remainder  of  my  life,  should  I  not  draw  the 
sword  in  their  justification  }  and  can  I  be  silent,  when  such 
things  are  said  against  my  countrymen,  against  the  two  great 
parties,  Liberal  and  Conservative,  which  govern  the  country, 
and  do  not  spare  the  failings  of  each  other,  and  are  equally 
jealous  of  the  National  good  name  :  when  such  frightful  crimes 
are  imputed  to  the  Government  of  British  India,  with  regard  to  ■ 
which  I  quote  a  few  lines  from  a  Leader  in  the  Times,  which 
appeared  only  a  few  days  ago  (August  11,  1885),  and  which 
expresses  my  deliberate  sentiments  after  a  prolonged  study  of 
the  system  of  administration  of  European,  Asiatic,  and  African 
Nations : 

On  the  whole,  we  are  convinced,  such  an  inquiry  will  be  useful,  mainly, 
because  it  will  show  that  there  never  was  a  Government,  be  its  faults  what 
they  may,  more  efficient  for  good,  more  progressive  and  enlightened,  and  more 
consistently  inspired  by  the  highest  and  purest  motives,  pursued  with  indefatig- 
able zeal  and  absolute  self-devotion,  than  that  of  the  English  rulers  of  India. 

This  pamphlet  is  written  for  an  American,  as  well  as  an 
English  public, 

London,  August  18,  1885  (with  additions,  1888). 

The  July  number  of  the  Friend  of  China  supplies  a  report  of 
the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society  for  the  Suppression  of  the 


(     117    ) 

Opium  Trade  on  June  8th,  1887,  and  a  Breakfast  Meeting  to 
discuss  the  policy  for  the  future  on  May  loth,  1887.  The  tone 
of  both  meetings  was  highly  to  be  commended.  The  object  of 
all  Missionary  Societies  is  to  improve  the  lives  of  the  Heathen, 
so  as  to  get  them  to  be  better  citizens  in  this  world,  and  heirs 
of  salvation  in  the  next.  All  abominable  customs,  whether 
partaking  of  the  character  of  crime  forbidden  by  human  law, 
or  vices  condemned  by  Christian  morals,  are  objects  of  aversion 
to  all  who  seek  the  weifare  of  Heathen  people.  It  is  in  the 
method  to  meet,  correct,  and  get  rid  of  these  vices,  upon  which 
sincere  and  earnest  men  ditfer.  The  Association  has  determined 
to  follow  the  advice  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Dudgeon,  an  esteemed  Mis- 
sionary, and  have  recourse  to  moral  suasion  of  the  Chinese 
people,  similar  to  the  action  of  the  total  abstinence  societies, 
which  have  worked  such  wonders  amidst  the  British  people. 
The  scheme  is  to  appoint  a  qualified  agent  of  the  Society  in 
China,  to  act  in  unison  with  the  Missionaries,  and  give  his  whole 
attention  to  the  matter ;  to  superintend  the  work ;  to  collect 
information  ;  to  establish  agencies  ;  to  employ  Native  helpers ; 
to  publish  sheets  and  tracts;  to  hold  meetings  and  give  lectures  ; 
to  establish  opium  refuges ;  to  form  abstinence  societies ;  to 
memorialize  Native  officials  ;  to  conduct  a  periodical  journal 
in  the  vernacular,  and  to  use  all  lawful  means  to  rouse  the 
people  to  a  sense  of  the  ruinous  nature  of  the  vice  of  opium- 
smoking.  If  such  a  policy  be  followed,  there  will  be  a  rich 
blessing,  for  it  is  consistent  with  reason,  experience,  the  practice 
of  the  home  Churches,  and  the  teaching  of  the  Bible. 

London,  August,  1887. 

The  great  Congress  of  Missionaries  in  London,  in  June,  1888, 
was  disfigured  by  an  attempt  to  disturb  the  peace  of  those,  who 
follow  the  example  of  St.  Paul,  and  seek  only  the  extension  of 
Christ's  Gospel,  by  the  introduction  of  this  nearly  moribund 
craze.  I  was  sorry  to  read,  that  some  of  our  dear  American 
friends  attended  this  meeting,  thus  interfering  in  the  domestic 
afi'airs  of  a  great  friendly  nation,  whose  hospitality  they  were 
enjoying.  The  Meeting  was  not  part  of  the  Congress :  it  was 
expressly  excluded  from  the  Programme  after  a  lengthy  discus- 
sion before  the  Executive  Council,  and  took  place  after  the 
Valedictory  Meeting,  and  the  dismissal  of  the  Congress.  Our 
friends  did  not  attend  as  delegates  of  Missionary  Societies,  but 
as  private  American  citizens,  interfering  in  the  affairs  of  the 
great  British  Nation.  I  was  invited,  but  did  not  attend ;  but, 
if  it  had  been  attempted  to  pass  a  vote  of  censure  on  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  for  declining  to  agree  to  the 
Treaty  for  restraining  the  Traffic  of  Liquor  in  the  South  Seas,  I 


(     ii8     ) 

should  have  attended,  to  protest  against  a  miscellaneous  assembly 
of  the  British  people  passing  a  censure  on  the  Government  of 
a  friendly  Nation,  ivhether  right  or  ivroiig. 

None  of  the  distinguished  Noblemen,  and  Gentlemen,  who 
had  presided  at  the  authorized  meetings  of  the  Congress,  took 
the  chair  on  this  occasion  :  it  was  occupied  by  a  permanent 
Civil  Servant  of  a  Public  Office,  who  was  not  unwilling  to  put 
Resolutions,  condemning  the  Government  of  India,  at  the  head 
of  which  was  his  illustrious  cousin,  the  Earl  of  Dufferin.  Had 
those  Resolutions  condemned  either  the  people  of  Ireland,  his 
native  land,  or  the  Government  of  that  Island,  a  question  would 
have  been  promptly  asked  in  the  House  of  Commons,  why 
a  public  servant  with  an  annual  salary  of  /"2000  should  be 
permitted  to  put  to  a  Meeting  votes  of  censure  on  one  of  the 
great  Departments  of  the  State.  British  India  is  a  corpus  vile, 
upon  which  any  brave  orator  can  flesh  his  weapon,  for  the  India 
Office,  secure  in  its  own  strength,  never  returns  the  blow,  but 
looks  on  with  a  smile  of  scorn.  On  this  occasion  something 
more  than  usual  has  to  be  recorded,  for  an  American  citizen  on 
the  platform  of  Exeter  Hall  was  allowed  to  state,  without  being 
called  to  order  by  the  Chair,  even  without  cries  of  *'  Shame  !  " 
from  the  audience,  that,  "for  what  had  been  done  in  India,  the 
"  British  deserved  far  more  than  the  Turks  for  their  atrocities  in 
"  Bulgaria,  to  be  turned  out  bag  and  baggage."  Opium  seems 
to  stupefy  the  sentiments  of  Patriotism  in  the  hearers,  and 
Decency  in  the  speakers. 

The  cause  of  Missionary  Societies  is  as  unpopular  with  the 
higher,  richer,  and  influential,  classes  in  Great  Britain,  as  with 
the  great  democracy  :  it  is  diflicult  to  secure  the  attendance  at 
a  Meeting  of  a  Member  of  either  House  of  Parliament.  This 
unpopularity  is  caused  by  the  folly  of  this  small  section,  always 
bringing  forward  their  local  and  peculiar  grievances,  which  have 
no  direct  bearing  on  the  Evangelization  of  the  World.  No  one 
distinguished  in  Art,  Arms,  Literature,  Politics,  or  Theology, 
joins  their  ranks.  Even  quiet,  undemonstrative,  but  still  sincere, 
Christians  feel  shy  of  joining  assemblies,  which  abandon  their 
holy  duty  of  conveying  the  Gospel  to  dying  souls,  to  discuss,  and 
pass  resolutions  on  the  subject  of  the  Cultivation  of  the  Poppy 
and  Manufacture  of  Opium,  the  export  of  Rum  and  Gin,  and  the 
Immorality  of  the  British  Soldier.  Sensible  pcoj)le  can  see  no  pos- 
sible connection  between  such  subjects  and  the  duty  imposed  upon 
us  all  by  the  parting  words  of  the  Risen  Saviour.  If  IMissionary 
Societies  desire  to  constitute  themselves  Censors  and  Judges  of 
the  Morals  of  the  British  people,  the  Champions  of  all  that  think 
themselves  injured,  and  the  Denouncers  of  everything,  which 
they  do  not  understand,  they  are  going  beyond  their  province, 
and  trespassing  on  the  duties  of  secular  Societies.    St.  Paul  was 


(     119     ) 

determined  to  know  nothing  among  the  Corinthians,  save  Jesus 
Christ  and  Him  cnicified,  and  yet  we  know  what  Corinth  and 
the  Corinthians  were.  St.  Paul  tells  us,  that  not  many  wise 
were  called,  and  I  feel  that  it  is  indeed  true,  when  I  listen  to  the 
speeches  of  good,  loving  and  lovable  Christians,  who  are  no  more 
able  to  appreciate  the  principles,  upon  which  Great  Britain  has 
built  and  sustained  her  Empire,  than  that  humble  saint  of  God, 
who  wrote  the  Pilgrim's  Progress.  The  reports  tell  us  how  an 
American  citizen  from  the  Far  West,  and  a  German  from  West- 
phalia, undertook  to  explain  to  a  mixed  assembly  of  men  and 
women,  what  was  the  duty  of  the  British  Parliament,  and  the 
foolish  assembly  stamped  and  applauded.  It  is  indeed  a  sad 
reflection,  how  much  discredit  is  brought  upon  the  cause  of  Christ 
by  the  weakness  of  some  few  of  His  devoted  servants,  who  love 
well,  but  not  wisely.  We  are  sinking  to  the  level  of  the  Salvation 
Army,  its  extravagance  and  impotence. 

June,  1888. 


(       121       ) 


VI. 

THE    LIQUOR-TI^AFFIC    IN-  BRITISH    INDIA. 
Has  the  British  Government  Done  its  Duty  } 

Me'^/a\t]   )f  iikrjOeia,  Kai  virepia^vet. 

"DoEST  thou  well  to  be  angry  for  the  gourd  ?  "  And  he  said, 
"  I  do  well  to  be  angry  even  unto  death."  Such  were  the  words 
of  the  prophet  Jonah,  800  B.C. :  it  is  well  even  in  this  age  of 
hasty  judgment,  and  rash  words,  to  be  angry,  when  statements 
are  made  by  public  men  in  public  places,  which  are  wholly 
unwarrantable,  and  the  Government  of  a  great  Dependency,  the 
greatest  that  History  ever  knew,  is  held  up  to  scorn  for  having 
initiated,  and  continued  for  more  than  a  Century,  a  policy  of 
the  damnable  nature  of  deliberately  destroying  the  morals  of 
two  hundred  Millions,  placed  in  their  charge,  and  at  their  mercy, 
for  the  sake  of  realizing  a  paltry  Revenue.  As  one  of  the  chief 
speakers  put  it : 

The  wants  of  the  Indian  Exchequer  are  so  urgent,  and  it  is  so  easy  to  bring 
in  Revenue  from  the  increased  sale  of  drink,  that  the  temptation  is  irresistible 
to  go  on  licensing  more  drink-shops. 

There  is  no  getting  out  of  the  difficulty:  the  charge  is  not 
made  on  this  occasion  against  the  British  people,  the  great 
shipping  and  commercial  and  manufacturing  interests  of  Great 
Britain,  but  against  the  Government  of  India. 

How  did  it  come  about  ?  For  more  than  twenty-five  years 
there  has  existed  in  England  an  association  called  the  "  Church 
of  England  Temperance  Society,"  which  by  its  numerous 
branches  has  done  an  infinity  of  good  to  the  people  of  this 
island,  who  are  notoriously  a  thirsty  race,  and,  in  addition  to 
many  excellent  qualities,  which  have  placed  them  in  the  front 
rank  of  Nations  past  and  present,  do  not  possess,  and  never 
have  possessed,  the  great  grace  of  Temperance.  Total  Absti- 
nence is  the  miserable  and  desperate  remedy  of  the  dipso- 
maniac, the  weak  hearted,  and  coward,  while  Temperance  in  all 
things  lawful  is  the  glory  of  the  Christian  Man,  using  the  good 
gifts  of  his  Creator,  as  they  were  intended  to  be  used.  Happy 
are  those,  who  from  their  youth  up,  not  under  the  influence  of 


(       122       ) 

a  pledge,  or  a  command,  or  a  craze,  have  of  their  own  free  will 
and  inclination  learnt  to  dispense  with  the  use  of  stimulants  and 
tobacco  :  but  this  grace  is  not  given  to  all,  although  the  number 
is  annually  increasing.  The  above-mentioned  Association  de- 
termined in  1886  to  make  a  new  departure,  and  to  carry  the  war 
all  over  the  world.  A  letter  was  addressed  to  the  Primate  of 
England  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Society,  enunciating  this  new 
policy,  and  stating  with  regard  to  British  India  that : 

A  nation  of  abstainers  was  gradually  becoming  a  nation  of  drunkards  :  that 
drunkenness  had  disappeared,  but  was  reintroduced  by  the  British :  that 
nothing  was  done  to  check  the  evil  by  legislative  measures  :  that  nearly  every 
village  had  its  liquor-shop,  and  the  natives  believed,  that  they  were  coiijerrmg  a 
favour  on  the  Government  by  buying  the  liquor. 

We  are  not  told  in  the  Pamphlet,  to  whom  we  are  indebted 
for  the  last  sentiment,  but  it  looks,  as  if  the  writer  had  had  a 
rise  taken  out  of  him  by  some  astute  Babu  from  a  Presidency 
College,  who  had  acquired  bad  habits  ;  but  Archdeacon  Farrar 
is  credited  with  the  following  dictum,  which  no  doubt  drew 
down  rounds  of  discriminating  and  temperate  applause : 
We  have  girdled  the  world  with  a  zone  of   drink. 

The  selection  of  authorities  in  the  appendix  to  the  Pamphlet 
contains  no  single  name,  which  carries  any  authority  whatever : 
one  person  suggests,  that  total  abstinence  should  be  a  condition 
precedent  to  Baptism,  for  which  there  is  no  warrant  in  Holy 
Scripture  :  another  person  translates  "  sharab  "  as  "  shame 
water"  :  this  rendering  may  deceive  excited  hearers  in  a  public 
meeting,  but  will  not  hold  water  in  Asia,  and  has  no  warrant 
in  the  Dictionary.  Another  person  cannot  see  any  other 
explanation  for  the  increase  of  income,  than  the  encourage- 
ment by  the  State  of  the  sale,  forgetting  that  a  higher  rate  of 
taxation,  only  limited  by  the  margin  of  profit  of  the  smuggler, 
would  have  the  same  result.  A  great  increase  in  the  amount 
of  Police  fines  in  the  Metropolitan  area  in  a  given  period  would 
imply,  not  that  the  Magistrates  had  encouraged  intemperance, 
and  wife-beating,  but  had  punished  it  by  heavier  fines.  The 
late  King  of  Oudh  is  credited  with  the  merit  of  not  making 
a  revenue  out  of  the  sale  of  spirits :  it  is  true,  for  he  allowed 
distilleries  to  be  worked  without  any  check  whatsoever  !  This 
would  hardly  seem  a  wise  policy  either  in  India  or  Westminster. 
Another  person  states,  and  no  doubt  correctly,  that  the  educated 
classes  betake  themselves  to  imported  liquors,  and  infers,  that 
the  Government  is  entirely  responsible  for  this  state  of  things. 
Has  that  person  considered,  whether  in  a  country,  of  which 
Free  Trade  is  the  glory,  any  import  can  be  excluded  without 
raising  difficult  complications  with  British  and  Foreign  Pro- 
ducers }  The  same  person  remarks,  that  the  heathen  regard 
the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors  as  a  sign  of  a  Christian.     I  shall 


(     123     ) 

show  below,  that  this  person  must  have  imperfectly  studied  the 
literature  of  India  to  arrive  at  such  a  conclusion.  Nanda  Lai 
Ghose,  a  Barrister,  undertakes  to  state,  that  the  Demon  of  Drink 
was  introduced  by  a  Christian  Government.  I  must  refer  him 
to  a  closer  study  of  the  esteemed  writings  of  his  own  country- 
men. Another  person  states  (as  the  result  of  six  months'  tour 
in  India)  that  the  natives,  if  left  to  themselves,  would  not 
have  licensed  shops  for  the  sale  of  the  vile  alcoholic  compounds, 
which  come  from  Europe.'  No  doubt,  that,  if  the  State -control 
and  tax  were  removed,  there  would  be  an  unlimited  amount  of 
unlicensed  shops.  And,  with  all  deference  to  the  same  person's 
opinion,  formed  in  the  Railway-train,  or  the  Hotel,  or  Rest- 
houses,  and  unassisted  by  the  least  knowledge  of  the  Vernacular, 
I  do  not  think,  that  in  matters  of  morality  the  Government  of 
India  falls  behind  the  Ethical  Code  of  the  people,  as  un- 
questionably the  slaughter  of  kine  was  prohibited,  while  the 
slaughter  of  widows,  female  children,  aged  relations,  and  lepers, 
was  considered  to  be  a  religious  duty,  and  the  practice  has  been 
only  abandoned,  or  checked,  under  the  pressure  of  severe 
penalties,  without  any  assistance  from  the  moral  consciousness 
of  the  Nation.  During  the  Mutinies  the  Emperor  Napoleon  III. 
received  a  petition  from  India,  praying  for  assistance  to  drive 
out  the  British,  who  had  forbidden  their  time-honoured  customs, 
among  which  these  were  enumerated  ! 

But  another  movement  had  been  made,  with  less  sound  of 
the  trumpet,  perhaps  with  more  soberness  of  statement,  by 
Missionary  Societies,  to  stem,  if  possible,  the  stream  of  liquor, 
which  was  flowing  from  European  ports  into  the  Rivers  of  West 
Africa.  In  December,  1884,  while  the  Berlin  Conference  was 
sitting  to  arrange  the  affairs  of  the  Dominion  of  the  Kongo,  at 
my  suggestion  a  Deputation  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
was  received  by  the  Under-Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affiiirs, 
to  lay  before  him  the  state  of  the  case,  and  urge  the  introduction 
into  the  Treaty  of  some  clause,  restricting  by  a  system  of  Excise 
the  importation  of  European  liquor  into  the  Basin  of  the  Niger. 
The  Bishop  of  Sierra  Leone  made  an  impressive  speech,  and  I 
was  permitted  to  follow  him,  and  I  ventured  to  remark,  that  the 
Missionaries  were  not  seeking  their  own  personal  interests,  but 
those  of  the  people,  who  could  not  speak  for  themselves,  and 
that  they  did  not  ask  for  impossibilities,  such  as  the  absolute 
prohibition  of  the  import  of  spirits,  but  only  for  the  regulation 
by  means  of  Excise,  and  licences  of  Liquor-Shops.  Great  credit 
should  be  given  to  the  representatives  of  Great  Britain  and  of 
the  United  States,  for  their  gallant  attempt  to  introduce  a  clause, 
but  it  was  necessary  to  make  a  compromise  with  Germany  and 
France,  and  the  clause  was  abandoned.  In  October,  1885,  the 
German  Missionaries,  assembled  at  Bremen  in  North  Germany, 


(      124     ) 

brought  to  notice  the  lamentable  consequences  to  the  people  of 
Africa  of  the  uncontrolled  import  of  spirituous  liquors,  chiefly 
from  Hamburg,  and  Dr.  Zahn,  the  Director  of  the  North  German 
Missionary  Society,  published  a  powerful  German  pamphlet  on 
the  subject,  and  was  good  enough  to  make  communications  to 
me,  which  enabled  me  on  the  20th  January,  1886,  to  bring 
before  an  assembly  of  representatives  of  all  the  great  Missionary 
Societies  at  the  Wesleyan  INIission  House,  Bishopsgate  Street, 
the  following  resolutions  : 

A.  That  the  Protestant  Missionary  Societies  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 
should  send  a  Deputation  to  the  Foreign  Office  to  point  out  the  ruin,  which 
threatens  the  Negro  populations  of  West  Africa  generally,  and  of  the  Basin  of 
the  Niger  in  particular,  by  the  unrestricted  importation  of  spirituous  liquors 
from  Northern  Europe,  and  to  inform  the  Foreign  Secretary,  that  the  German 
and  Germnn  Swiss  xMissionary  Societies,  assembled  at  Bremen,  last  October, 
have  brought  the  subject  before  the  notice  of  the  Imperial  Government  at 
Berlin  with  the  same  object,  admitting  frankly  that  the  town  of  Hamburg  is 
one  of  the  greatest  offenders  in  this  matter. 

B.  The  Deputation  should  impress  upon  Her  Majesty's  Government,  that 
the  present  state  of  affairs  will  not  only  prevent  the  development  of  legitimate 
trade  in  the  Manufactures  and  Products  of  Europe,  but  will  destroy,  physically 
as  well  as  morally,  the  population  of  a  country,  rescued  from  the  Slave  Trade 
by  the  expenditure  of  British  lives  and  resources. 

C.  The  remedies,  suggested  as  feasible,  in  which  the  German  Societies 
agree,  are 

(I.)  The  imposition  of  a  substantial  Import-duty,  fixed  at  a  scale  just  low 
enough  as  not  to  make  smuggling  profitable. 

{II.)  The  introduction  of  a  system  of  Licences,  by  which  the  sale  would  be 
restricted  to  certain  shops,  maintained  by  responsible  parties.  A  substantial 
Fee  to  be  levied  for  each  licence. 

(III.)  The  forbidding  of  any  British  person,  or  British  Company,  remunerat- 
ing labour,  or  bartering  for  native  produce,  in  spirituous  liquors. 

(IV.)  The  discontinuance  on  the  part  of  the  British  Authorities  of  making 
presents  of  cases  and  bottles  of  spirits  to  Natives,  or  offering,  or  receiving, 
entertainment  in  spirits  on  the  occasion  of  public  ceremonies. 

The  Revenue  collected  from  the  Import-Duty  and  Licence-Fee  will  suffice 
to  maintain  ample  Government  Establishments  for  the  purpose  of  enforcing  the 
Regulation  of  Customs 'and  Excise  now  proposed. 

D.  The  leading  secular  organs  of  Public  Opinion  should  be  invited  to  bring 
home  to  the  public  conscience  the  lamentable  consequence  of  the  neglect  of 
remedial  measures  lufore  the  evil  exceeds  the  possibility  of  control  and  remedy. 
A  promising  market,  both  of  Export  of  Native  Produce,  and  the  Import  of 
European  Manufactures,  will  be  destroyed  by  the  short-sightedness  of  the  first 
generation  of  Merchants,  who  would  literally  kill  the  goose  to  get  at  the 
golden  eggs:  this  point  of  view  concerns  the  Manufacturer  and  Merchant  ;  but 
the  Missionary  Societies  have  their  thoughts  ever  solely  fixed  upon  the  awful 
crime  of  ruining  Millions  of  a  race  in  a  low  state  of  culture,  and  unable  to 
protect  themselves,  by  the  introduction  of  Rum,  Gin,  and  Alcohol,  of  the  very 
existtnce  of  which  the  A^egroes  never  heard  before,  and  with  which  they  could  not 
supply  themselves,  except  by  the  Agency  of  European  Merchaitts. 

It  was  agreed,  after  discussion,  that  the  subject  should  be 
referred  to  a  Committee  delegated  by  each  Society,  who  should 
confer,  and  make  a  collective  Report  to  their  several  Committees, 


(       125      ) 

and  that  final  action  should  then  be  taken.  This  eventuated  in 
an  able  and  comprehensive  Pamphlet,  entitled  "Trafficking  in 
Liquor  with  the  Natives  of  Africa,"  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev. 
Horace  Waller,  so  well  known  as  the  companion  of  Livingstone, 
stating  the  whole  case,  and  published  in  the  beginning  of  the 
year  1887.  I  have  alluded  to  these  proceedings  in  detail,  as  no 
doubt  those,  who  disagree  with  me  in  my  argument,  defending 
the  Government  of  India  against  the  unjust  aspersions  thrown 
upon  it,  may  be  tempted  to  cry  out,  that  I  am  a  kind  of 
Philistine,  and  one  who  cares  little  for  the  welfare  of  native 
races :  on  the  contrary,  it  is  the  leading  object  of  my  life,  and 
I  was  up  in  arms  for  the  people  of  West  Africa  long  before  the 
Church  of  England  Temperance  Society  unfortunately  lent  an 
ear  to  the  exaggerations  and  downright  falsehoods,  which  have 
for  the  present  arrested  its  useful  and  benevolent  career. 

On  the  30th  of  March  of  the  year  1887  a  Meeting  was  held  in 
Prince's  Hall,  Piccadilly,  of  all  persons  interested  in  this  great 
subject,  "The  Demoralization  of  Native  Races  by  the  Drink 
Traffic."  The  Bishop  of  London  was  in  the  Chair.  The 
practical  object  of  the  Meeting  was  to  appoint  a  Committee  to 
collect  information,  and  I  among  others  was  requested  to  attend, 
and  to  allow  my  name  to  be  placed  on  the  General  Committee, 
to  which  I  gladly  assented,  believing,  in  the  innocence  of  my 
heart,  that  the  term  "  Native  Races  "  was  meant  to  include  those 
unfortunate  races  of  Africa,  and  Oceania,  which,  being  under 
no  settled  form  of  Government  able  to  protect  them,  were  at  the 
mercy  of  the  unprincipled  European  importers  of  European 
spirituous  liquors,  as  described  in  Mr.  Horace  Waller's  pamphlet. 
The  Bishop  of  London  made  an  admirable  opening  address, 
carrying  every  one  with  him.  He  was  followed  by  Archdeacon 
Farrar,  who  proposed  the  first  Resolution,  and  astonished  many 
of  his  hearers  (and  among  them  most  particularly  myself)  by 
stating,  that  his  portion  of  the  task  related  to  British  India. 
Now  India  is  a  great  dependency  of  the  British  Crown,  with  a 
Constitution  of  its  own,  a  Budget  of  its  own,  owing  nothing  to 
Great  Britain,  and  paying  no  tribute  to  Great  Britain,  governed 
under  a  system  of  law  by  able  and  high-minded  men,  sent  out 
from  time  to  time  by  both  of  the  great  parties  of  the  State, 
who  are  assisted  in  the  subordinate  administration,  political, 
fiscal,  and  judicial,  by  the  great  Civil  Service  of  India,  which  is 
elected  by  competition  from  the  youth  of  each  year,  restrained 
by  Covenants,  controlled  by  Rules,  guaranteed  by  Law,  and 
upheld  in  the  high  and  steadfast  path  of  Honour  and  Duty  by 
feelings  of  Self-respect,  and  the  consciousness  of  integrity  never 
questioned,  and  purity  of  motive,  upon  which  no  shadow  during 
this  century  had  ever  been  cast.  In  a  book  which  I  published 
in  1887,  "Linguistic  and  Oriental  Essays,"  when  reviewing  the 


(      126     ) 

miserable  state  of  Egypt,  I  contrasted  with  it  the  state  of  affairs 
in  British  India,  remarking: 

That  the  British  official,  wherever  he  goes,  carries  with  him  in  his  ofifice-box 
the  dignity  of  a  gentleman  and  a  Christian  :  under  no  circumstances,  or  in  any 
place,  and  in  any  environment,  would  he  condescend  to  do  or  say  what  is  false 
and  mean :  he  would  shrink  from  what  is  cruel  and  treacherous  :  he  would 
proudly  turn  away  from  what  is  wanton  or  sordid. 

And  yet  Archdeacon  Farrar,  with  knowledge,  or  without 
knowledge  (it  matters  not  which),  that  the  administration  of 
British  India  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Covenanted  Civil 
Service,  with  the  exception  of  the  post  of  Viceroy,  and  the 
Governors  of  Bombay  and  Madras,  in  strong,  slow,  and 
measured  words,  dared  to  say, 

"  iHe  fount!  Inbia  sober,  ant  left  it  tirunfecn." 

As  the  Head  Master  of  a  great  public  school,  he  could  not 
resist  a  quotation, 

pudet  haec  opprobria  nobis 
Et  dici  potuisse,  et  non  potuisse  repelli. 

The  indignation,  which  several  members  of  the  Indian  Services 
felt,  with  myself,  when  we  listened  to  this  speech,  can  scarcely 
be  described  :  the  feeling  was  to  interrupt  the  meeting  by  loud 
protests,  but  the  kind  and  wise  address  of  the  Bishop  of  London 
held  me  back,  for  to  disturb  the  meeting  would  be  to  vex  him : 
my  chief  desire  was  to  get  away  from  a  Hall,  where  such  things 
were  uttered  and  applauded. 

He  was  followed  by  Mr.  Samuel  Smith,  M.P.,  who,  freed 
from  the  restraint  of  the  presence  of  Under-Secretaries  of  State 
for  India,  and  ex-Governors  of  Bengal  and  Bombay,  who  had 
to  a  certain  degree  kept  him  in  order  in  the  House  of  Commons," 
mounted  his  hobby,  and  in  order  that  full  justice  may  be  done 
to  his  eloquence  and  accuracy  of  statement,  I  quote  his  remarks 
from  the  Report  in  the  Jiock  Newspaper : 

During  his  recent  visit  to  India  he  found  a  complete  unanimity  of  opinion  as 
to  the  rapid  increase  of  intemperance.  The  natives  imitate  Englishmen  in 
drinking  with  disastrous  effects,  for  they  have  not  the  same  power  of  self-control, 
and  their  constitution  is  not  so  strong.  Uefore  ///c  Jt>/j;/is/i  ■were  in  India  the 
sale  of  strong  drink  was  nnknoivn.  By  religion  and  custom  the  people  of  India 
were  total  abstainers. 

Mr.  Smith  is  reported  to  have  produced  a  profound  impression 
by  his  calm  and  clear  statements.  He  gave  some  items  from  a 
letter,  which  he  had  received  from  an  English  missionary, 
which  created  a  painful  impression. 

No  one  would  say,  or  think,  that  the  Government  desires  to  foster  the  vice 
of  drunkenness  in  its  Indian  subjects. 

Whereupon    Mr.    Smith  remarked,   amid  cheers,    "That  is  a 


(     127     ) 

chari/able     sfaiemeni,"     and    continuing    the     reading    of     the 
missionary's  letter,  said : 

But  Government  wants  money,  and  the  Board  of  Revenue  has  found  out  that 
one  way  to  get  it  is  to  encourage  the  drink-trade,  and  to  put  facilities  before 
the  people  generally  to  take  to  the  habit  of  drinking,  in  order  to  push  on  the 
trade,  and  get  in  a  larger  revenue,  so  that  really  the  Indian  Cjovernment  is 
guilty  of  the  crime  of  pushing  a  trade  for  fiscal  objects,  which  is  fast  spreading 
the  terrible  evil  of  drinking  and  drunkenness  throughout  the  country. 

The  speaker  went  on  to  describe  how  this  had  been  effected 
by  the  "  out-still "  system  : 

Formerly  certain  central  distillers  were  alone  permitted.  Instead  of  this, 
under  the. new  system,  native  distillers  were  at  liberty  to  open  their  own  stills, 
and  manufacture  as  much  as  they  liked,  and  what  they  pleased,  by  paying  a 
monthly  rent  to  the  Government  for  permission  to  manufacture  and  sell.  This 
brought  the  liquor  down  from  about  two  shillings  or  so  a  bottle  to  about 
twopence,  and  the  stills  multiplied  a  hundred-fold.  The  consequence  was 
there  was  a  regular  rush  for  the  drink  from  all  classes,  the  voy  beg,s;ars  and 
boys  and  women  taking  to  it.  There  are  two  facts  of  importance  which  should 
not  be  lost  sight  of  in  native  drinking.  First,  natives  have  no  idea  of  modera- 
tion in  the  use  of  strong  drinks.  They,  try  to  get  drunk,  and  therefore  they 
imbibe  by  the  bottle,  not  by  the  glass.  Moreover,  while  many  Europeans 
reform  and  give  up  the  drink,  the  native  goes  on  to  the  bitter  end.  Once  a 
Native  becomes  a  hard  drinker,  he  seldom  or  never  can  give  it  up,  for  want  of 
moral  courage.  The  Revenue  in  India  is  chronically  short.  The  mass  of 
people  are  poor  beyond  any  standard  of  poverty  known  at  home.  We  hold 
India  by  prestige,  but  in  the  long  run,  we  shall  only  hold  India  by  the 
prestige  of  righteousness. 

He  thought,  that  the  greatest  kindness  an  audience  can  do 
to  the  Government  of  India,  is  to  elevate  their  standard  of 
righteousness,  a  sentiment  which  elicited  warm  approval.  Mr. 
Smith  quoted  the  testimony  of  a  native  doctor  to  the  effect,  that 
90  per  cent,  is  the  proportion  of  deaths  from  drink,  and,  making 
every  allowance  for  Orientalism,  the  statement  is  terribly  ap- 
palling. 

I  quite  admit,  that  the  throne  of  the  Empress  of  India  is 
founded  on  Righteousness,  and  that  the  British  Nation  is  only 
permitted  to  rule  over  that  great  country  on  the  condition,  that 
their  Rule  should  be  righteous ;  but  Truth  is  usually  coupled 
with  Righteousness,  and  here  it  appeared  to  be  entirely 
dissociated.  A  French  downright  hater  of  Great  Britain  would 
have  carefully  collected  his  facts  and  marshalled  his  authorities. 
A  Member  of  the  British  Parliament  seemed  under  no  such 
necessity.     A  line  of  Juvenal  came  to  my  recollection  : 

Quid  Romce  faciam  ?  mentiri  nescio. 
I  left  the  Hall,  feeling,  with  many  others,  that  the  Liquor 
Merchants  had  effected  a  great  triumph.  Truth  was  the  only- 
weapon,  with  which  we  could  meet  them :  with  carefully 
collected  facts,  and  tested  statistics,  the  Committee  of  the 
Missionary  Societies  had  prepared  for  a  direct  attack  on  the 
common  enemy,   the    Merchants   of   Great   Britain,    Germany, 


(     128     ) 

France,  and  America.  Some  of  the  Missionary  Societies  of 
the  last-mentioned  Country  had  expressed  to  me  their  entire 
concurrence  in  the  attempt  that  was  to  be  made.  By  the 
speeches  of  the  Archdeacon,  and  Mr.  Samuel  Smith,  the  whole 
character  of  the  struggle  was  altered  :  the  attack  was  now  upon 
the  constitutional  Government  of  British  India,  or  rather  on 
the  Covenanted  servants  of  that  Government:  it  was  a  charge 
of  a  character  worse  than  that  made  by  Cicero  upon  Verres, 
inasmuch  as  the  plunder  of  Provinces  from  personal  greed  is  a 
less  heinous  offence  than  the  systematic  poisoning  of  the  bodies 
and  souls  of  a  great  and  historic  Nation  for  the  miserable  object 
or  adding  a  few  Lakhs  of  Rupees  to  the  Revenue  of  the  State. 
Moreover,  if  the  speakers  only  understood  their  brief,  they  must 
have  felt  that  the  line  of  Juvenal  applied  to  them : 

Dant  veniam  corvis  :    vexat  censura  columbam. 

The  British  Merchant,  who  brought  the  Brandy  and  Whisky 
and  Gin  and  choice  wines  in  such  abundance  to  India,  the 
British  Planters  of  the  Mauritius,  who  flooded  Bombay  with  Rum, 
were  the  real  offenders,  if  any  tangible  offence  existed.  With 
singular  inconsistency,  after  Sir  Charles  Warren  and  the  Negro 
Pastor,  James  Johnson,  had  pleaded  earnestly  and  truly  for 
Africa,  after  Mr.  Caine,  M.P.,  had  made  a  speech  about  Egypt, 
which  had  no  bearing  upon  the  subject,  after  Mr.  Horace  Waller 
had  vainly  striven  to  bring  back  the  Meeting  to  the  region  of 
common  sense  and  calm  judgment,  the  following  Resolutions 
were  passed,  which  bear  no  relation  whatever  to  the  false  and 
libellous  statements  of  the  chief  speakers,  and  which  clearly 
indicate,  that  this  attack  upon  the  Government  of  India  was  not 
contemplated  by  the  Director  and  Secretaries  of  the  Church  of 
England  Temperance  Society,  for  no  one  can  hesitate  for  a 
moment  in  giving  their  hearty  consent  to  these  Resolutions: 

1.  That  the  traffic  in  strong  drink,  as  now  carried  on  by  merchants  belonging 
to  Christian  nations  in  India,  Africa,  and  most  of  the  colonies  and  depen- 
dencies of  the  British  Empire,  has  become  the  source  of  wholesale  demoralization 
and  ruin  to  the  native  races,  and  is  proving  a  fatal  stumbling-block,  to  the 
progress  of  the  Gospel  among  them. 

2.  That  in  the  interests  of  Christianity  and  humanity  the  facts  bearing  on  the 
traffic  and  its  results  should  be  made  more  generally  known  to  the  people  of 
England  and  other  countries,  with  a  view  to  the  formation  of  a  sound  public 
opinion,  and  eventually  to  the  passing  of  legislative  enactments  for  the 
repression  of  such  traffic. 

3.  That  for  this  purpose  a  Committee  be  formed,  to  include,  besides 
members  of  the  Executive  of  the  Church  of  England  Temperance  Society, 
representatives  of  the  leading  Missionary  and  Temperance  Societies. 

But  the  mischief  did  not  end  with  the  Meeting.  No  one 
would  have  troubled  themselves  with  the  platform  speeches  of  a 
travelling  Member  of  Parliament,  the  creature  of  the  hour :  we 
have  known  the  genus  in  India  for  the  last  forty  years,  the  man 


(       129      ) 

who  asks  questions,  makes  copious  notes,  and  looks,  as  if  he 
could  see  through  a  millstone.  King  Solomon  remarks,  that 
there  were  three  things,  which  were  too  wonderful  for  him,  and 
four  which  he  knew  not :  but  in  modern  time  there  is  a  fifth, 
which  is  beyond  the  comprehension  of  the  most  wise,  it  is  the 
way,  in  which  the  travelling  Member  of  Parliament  is  gulled,  and 
the  plausibility,  with  which  he  tries  on  his  return  to  England  to 
gull  others.  He  meets  an  intelligent-looking  man  in  the  Railway 
carriage,  or  passes  a  night  at  the  house  of  the  most  crotchety 
man  of  the  Station,  and  he  stuffs  his  travelling  bag  with  crude 
undigested  facts,  and  then  gives  it  out  on  a  Manchester  or 
Liverpool  platform  with  the  air  of  a  Prophet,  who  has  just  come 
down  from  the  Mountain,  forgetting  that  the  Science  of  Rule  of 
subject  Millions  is  the  greatest  and  noblest  of  Sciences,  only 
mastered  by  a  few  after  the  study  and  practice  of  decades,  and 
not  during  the  excited  tour  of  six  weeks.  But  the  chief  orator 
on  this  occasion  was  a  man  of  different  stamp,  a  real  man,  one 
of  the  greatest  of  the  Metropolitan  Clergy,  one  who  has  done 
for  the  young  men  of  London  more  than  any  living  man,  one 
whose  written  works  are  read  by  thousands,  and  whose  spoken 
words  are  listened  to  by  hundreds,  in  fact,  one  of  the  great 
Workers  and  Speakers  of  the  period. 

What  was  to  be  done  ?  It  was  clear  to  me  what  I  must  do, 
viz.  at  once  to  resign  my  seat  on  the  proposed  Committee,  and 
to  decline  any  joint  action  with  the  Society,  until  these  speeches 
were  as  openly  disallowed,  as  they  were  openly  applauded. 
Canon  Ellison  in  his  reply  to  my  letter  stated  that : 

As  far  as  he  knew,  no  attempt  had  been  made  to  disprove  the  statements 
contained  in  the  Pamphlet  :  he  further  stated,  that  the  object  of  the  Com- 
mittee was  to  sift  and  test  such  assertions  ;  to  disprove,  if  truth  should  require 
it,  quite  as  much  as  to  prove,  and  in  some  cases  to  vindicate  the  cliaracter  of 
Governments  unjustly  assailed.  He  assured  me,  that  the  Committee  could  be 
in  no  way  responsible  for  the  statements  made  at  the  Meeting  ;  he  begged  me 
finally  to  continue  on  the  General  and  Executive  Committees. 

At  a  subsequent  date  I  was  invited  to  join  the  Sub-Committee, 
appointed  to  consider  the  reply  of  the  Viceroy  of  India,  which 
will  be  noticed  below.  From  the  first  I  felt,  that  Canon  Ellison, 
and  the  Church  of  England  Temperance  Society,  were  not 
responsible  for  the  indiscreet  utterances  made  in  Prince's  Hall, 
but  I  felt  also,  that  I  could  serve  the  cause,  the  great  cause, 
which  we  all  had  in  common,  by  standing  aloof,  waging  my  own 
battle,  and  trying  to  clear  the  air  of  these  clouds  of  ignorance, 
and  make  the  way  open  to  an  advance,  based  on  facts  and  the 
Truth,  not  on  sensational  and  inaccurate  statements. 

Mr.  Horace  Waller  entirely  agreed  with  me  :  as  he  was  one 
of  the  Speakers  at  the  Prince's  Hall  Meeting,  he  was  stout- 
hearted enough  to  speak  out  his  mind,  and  tell  the  audience : 

That  a  man,  who  is  intemperate  in  his  facts,  is  just  as  much  a  dram-drinker 


(     I30     ) 

to  his  own  harm,  as  any  dram-drinker  of  the  ordinary  kind,  and   that  figures 
could  be  brought  together  and  presented  to  a  meeting,  which  luere  a  great  tnany 

degrees  above  proof. 

These  honest  remarks  were  hooted  by  an  excited  audience, 
who  only  cared  to  listen  to  Prophets,  who  prophesied  according 
to  their  own  views.  It  was  determined  not  to  dissolve,  but 
only  suspend  the  action  of,  the  representative  Committee  of  the 
Missionary  Societies ;  it  would  not  have  been  wise  to  allow  this 
great  subject  to  fall  exclusively  into  the  power  of  the  Committee 
of  the  Church  of  England  Temperance  Society,  which  was 
clearly  under  the  temporary  influence  of  Fanatics,  but  which  in 
a  short  time  would  recover  its  equilibrium,  and  become  the 
centre  of  renewed  efibrts  in  the  great  cause. 

I  lost  no  time  in  forwarding  a  copy  of  the  Report  of  the 
speeches  of  the  Meeting  to  the  Right  Honourable  the  Secretary 
of  State  for  India,  praying,  that  means  should  be  at  once 
adopted  to  disprove  the  assertion  : 

That  it  is  the  policy  of  Government  to  encourage  drunkenness  in  India  with 
a  view  of  increasing  the  Revenue. 

And  I  was  assured  that  the  charge  was  groundless  :  that  the 
consumption  of  spirits  was  repressed  by  a  repressively  high 
duty,  and  that  since  1872,  in  consequence  of  improved  Excise 
administration,  the  number  of  liquor-shops  had  steadily  and  ap- 
preciably decreased,  notwithstanding  the  increase  of  the  popula- 
tion during  that  period.  I  addressed  the  Under-Secretary  of  State 
for  India  privately  at  his  house,  pointing  out  the  extreme  gravity 
of  the  statements  made,  and  the  receipt  of  my  letter  was  acknow- 
ledged. A  despatch  was  expected  in  a  few  weeks  from  the  Viceroy 
of  India  in  reply  to  the  Pamphlet  of  the  Church  of  England 
Temperance  Society,  sent  out  in  the  previous  autumn.  The 
task,  which  I  set  before  myself,  divided  itself  into  three  heads : 

I.  Did  the  British  in  very  deed  find  the  people  of  India  total 
abstainers  from  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  and  drugs,  or  even 
temperate  users  of  the  same  } 

II.  Has  it  been  the  policy  of  the  State,  and  of  the  Servants  of 
the  State,  to  enhance  the  Revenue  of  the  Excise  at  the  expense 
of  the  morals  of  the  people  ? 

HI.  Has  the  Revenue  of  the  Excise  increased  beyond  what 
was  to  be  expected  from  a  people  doubled  in  population,  quad- 
rupled in  wealth,  and  exposed  to  the  insidious  dangers,  which 
accompany  an  advance  in  Civilization,  and  increased  intercourse 
with  other  Nations,  those  Nations  famous  for  wholesale  export 
of  spirituous  liquors  } 

The  first  point  was  historical,  and  my  proofs  had  to  be  collected 
from  a  long  list  of  Sanskrit,  Pali,  Persian,  and  Hindustani  writers; 
extending  over  more  than  two  thousand  years :  fortunately  for 
my  argument,  just  as  the  use  of  wine  for  purposes  of  intoxication 


(     131     ) 

can  be  traced  back  to  the  time  of  Noah,  so  in  India  the  use  of 
intoxicating  liquor  is  vouched  for  in  the  Veda,  the  most  ancient 
and  sacred  of  Hindu  Books,  and  can  be  traced,  as  I  shall 
proceed  to  show,  from  generation  to  generation  to  the  present 
time  in  the  Hindu,  Buddhist,  Mahometan  and  Sikh  annals. 
The  second  point,  and  the  third,  would  rest  upon  the  expected 
despatch  of  the  Viceroy,  upon  the  Report  of  the  Bangal  Com- 
mission of  1883,  1884,  and  the  annual  Administration-Reports 
of  British  India,  presented  each  year  to  Parliament.  Things 
in  British  India  are  fortunately  not  done  in  a  corner,  and  the 
Government  of  India  is  famous  for  its  outspokenness,  for  the 
naked  way,  in  which  it  exposes  both  the  successes,  and  the 
failures,  of  its  administration :  the  quinquennial  change  of  every 
high  Officer  of  State  alone  renders  this  possible.  There  is  no 
desire  of  an  hereditary  blockhead  to  screen  the  errors  of  his 
scoundrel  ancestor.  Each  Viceroy,  and  each  Governor,  knows 
well,  that  he  leaves  his  character  behind  him.  Lord  Dufferin's 
despatch,  dated  June  25th,  1887,  was  published  on  the  4th 
August,  but  did  not  reach  me  till  September  loth,  just  as  I  was 
starting  on  a  long  journey  to  Morocco :  so  I  contented  myself 
for  the  time  with  a  letter  to  the  Times,  which  appeared  on  the 
1 6th  of  that  month,  as  a  cartel  thrown  down  to  my  antagonists, 
and  on  my  return  I  proceed  to  make  my  reply  to  Archdeacon 
Farrar's  thesis  in  detail.     I  deal  first  with  the  first  part : 

"  m,z  faunti  ]:ntia  sober." 

It  so  happened,  that  in  1873  a  very  distinguished  Hindu 
Scholar  of  Calcutta,  Lala  Rajendra  Lala  Mitra,  President  of 
the  Bengal  Asiatic  Society,  published  in  the  Journal  of  that 
Society  an  essay  on  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  by  the  Hindu, 
tracing  the  practice  by  quotations  from  the  most  esteemed 
Sanskrit  authors  from  the  earliest  ages  :  to  me  it  seemed,  when 
I  first  read  this  essay,  in  exceedingly  bad  taste  thus  to  parade 
the  weaknesses  of  his  countrymen,  and  I  should  think  poorly 
of  an  English  literary  man,  who  out  of  pure  malice  traced  back 
by  quotations  from  Shakespeare,  Chaucer,  and  Caedmon,  the 
drunkenness  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  up  to  the  time  of  the  origin  of 
the  race  ;  yet  this  great  Sanskrit  scholar  took  the  trouble  to  do 
so  in  1873,  and  in  1881  republished  it  with  other  of  his  learned 
essays  in  his  collective  volumes,  "  Indo-Aryans,  Contributions 
towards  the  Elucidation  of  their  Ancient  and  Mediaeval  History." 
As  in  the  foot-notes  of  his  essay  he  gives  the  original  Sanskrit 
quotations  from  each  author  quoted  in  extenso,  any  one,  who 
knows  Sanskrit,  can  satisfy  himself  of  their  accuracy.  The 
quotations  are  easily  accessible  from  the  great  Epic  and 
Dramatic  Authors,  and  the  Veda,  and  I  have  them  in  my  private 
library :  it  is  indeed  a  most  astonishing  revelation ;  perhaps  1 


(       132       ) 

ought  to  have  expected  it,  but  I  certainly  did  not  do  so. 
I  attributed  the  deplorable  habits  of  intoxication,  so  notorious 
among  certain  races  and  tribes,  to  a  decadence  from  a  higher 
standard,  rather  than  an  uninterrupted  continuance  from  the 
cradle  of  the  National  life. 

Rajendra  Lala  remarks,  that  drinks  have  a  peculiar  charm, 
which  enable  them  to  hold  their  ground  against  the  deductions 
of  Science,  and  mandates  of  Religion ;  that  the  history  of 
Mahometan  civilization  illustrated  this  assertion,  for  no  one 
condemned  more  emphatically  the  use  of  wine  than  Mahomet, 
and  yet  that  there  is  no  Mahometan  country,  where  the  con- 
sumption is  not  considerable.  Gibbon  remarked  cynically  last 
century,  that  the  vines  of  Shiraz  have  always  prevailed  over  the 
law  of  Mahomet.  When  the  Indie  branch  of  the  Aryan  race 
crossed  the  Hindu-Kush  at  some  remote  period  into  the  Panjab, 
the  earliest  Brahman  settlers  indulged  largely  in  "Soma "-beer, 
and  strong  spirits.  To  the  Gods  the  most  acceptable  offering 
was  "Soma "-beer,  and  wine  or  spirits,  which  in  India  are 
identical,  was  sold  in  the  shops.  In  the  Rig- Veda  Sanhita 
(Wilson,  vol.  ii.  p.  204)  occurs  a  hymn,  which  shows,  that 
wine  was  kept  in  leather  bottles,  and  freely  sold  to  all  comers. 
A  minority  of  authorities  doubt,  whether  "Soma"  was  intoxi- 
cating, but  all  admit  that  "Sara"  or  Arrack,  manufactured  from 
rice-meal,  and  also  alluded  to  in  the  Rig- Veda,  was  highly  so : 
and  this  clearly  shows,  that  the  Vedic  Hindu  of  a  period  long 
anterior  to  the  Christian  era  did  countenance  the  use  of  spirits  : 
but  Professor  Whitney  clearly  proves,  that  "Soma"  was  intoxi- 
cating :  it  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  juice  of  a  climbing 
plant,  the  "Asclepias  acida,"  which  was  extracted,  fermented, 
and  produced  exhilaration  grateful  to  the  Priests.  The  liquid 
had  power  to  elevate  the  spirits,  and  produce  a  temporary  frenzy, 
under  the  influence  of  which  an  individual  was  prompted  to  do, 
and  found  capable  of  doing,  deeds  beyond  his  natural  powers. 
Soma  was  therefore  deemed  divine,  and  became  a  Deity,  the  myth 
running  on  parallel  lines  to  that  of  Dionysus  or  Bacchus,  who 
came  from  India  into  Hellas. 

As  time  went  on,  the  later  Veda  forbade  the  use  of  spirits  for 
the  purpose  of  animal  gratification,  and  said,  that  drinking  was 
as  bad  as  the  murder  of  a  Brahman.  The  Smriti  included  wine- 
bibbing  among  the  five  capital  crimes,  and  ordered  the  severest 
punishment.  Manu  500  B.C.,  and  others,  denounced  the  use,  and 
fortified  their  dicta  by  legendary  tales  of  frightful  punishments ; 
yet  it  is  clear,  that  at  no  period  in  their  history  has  the  Hindu 
Nation  abstained.  Priests  and  respectable  and  pious  house- 
holders did  so,  but  they  were  but  a  fraction  of  the  community, 
and  there  was  at  all  times,  as  there  is  now,  a  considerable 
amount  of  hypocrisy  on  the  subject.     Sanskrit  literature,   both 


(     133     ) 

ancient  and  mediaeval,  leaves  no  doubt,  by  its  casual  allusions, 
and  unpremeditated  admission,  that  wine  was  extensively  used 
by  all  classes  at  all  times  with  rare  exceptions  of  individuals. 
Manu  found  the  public  feeling  so  strong,  that  he  remarks,  that 
there  is  no  turpitude  in  drinking ;  but  that  abstinence  produces 
a  signal  compensation.  The  Soldier  and  the  Merchant  (or  in 
other  words  the  Kshatriya  Rajput,  and  the  Vaisya,  or  Trader, 
both  of  whom  belonged  to  the  order  of  the  Dwija  or  Twice- 
born)  must  not  drink  Arrack,  but  were  allowed  the  choice  'of  all 
other  liquors,  whose  name  was  legion;  the  Sudra,  or  lower  class, 
might  indulge  freely  without  restraint :  the  Brahman,  or  highest 
class,  must  totally  abstain. 

The  Rules  or  aphorisms  known  as  the  "  Sutra"  are  dated,  some 
about  600  B.C.  anterior  to  Manu,  and  some  later :  the  Brahmana 
are  of  various  dates,  the  Aitareya  being  fixed  at  700  B.C.:  in 
them  we  find,  that  not  only  the  Soma  and  Sara  retained  their 
firm  hold  of  the  people,  but  we  read  of  new  candidates  for  the 
public  taste,  the  Mohwa  or  Bassia  latifolia,  so  popular  as  a 
drink  to  this  day,  the  Gandi  or  Sugar-rum,  the  Tari,  or  Toddy, 
from  the  Palm  :  so  the  drinks  of  the  Hindu,  as  well  as  their 
Castes,  and  Religious  rites,  and  magnificent  literature,  have  an 
unbroken  lineage  of  at  least  twenty-six  centuries. 

In  the  fascinating  Epic  Poem  of  the  Ramayana  by  Valmiki, 
which  has  been  my  delight  for  more  than  forty  years,  we  find 
frequent  notices  of  wine  and  drinking.  The  great  Sage 
Visvamitra,  himself  the  reputed  author  of  some  of  the  hymns  of 
the  Rig-Veda,  entertained  the  great  sage  Vasishtha  with  Maireya 
(or  Rum)  and  Sara  (or  Arrack).  Bharadwaja,  another  great 
Sage,  offered  wine  to  Bharata,  King  of  Ayodya,  and  his  soldiers, 
who  stayed  one  night  with  him  during  their  search  for  Rama. 
Sita,  the  beautiful  and  faithful  wife  of  Rama  (himself  an 
incarnation  of  the  Supreme  Deity),  promised  to  offer  to  the 
River  Goddess,  Jamna,  in  the  event  of  her  safe  return,  one 
thousand  jars  of  Arrack.  Nor  was  she  herself,  nor  her  husband, 
the  Incarnation  of  Vishnu,  averse  from  the  cheering  cup,  for  we 
read  in  the  last  book  of  the  noble  Epic,  how  Rama,  embracing 
Sita  with  both  his  hands,  made  her  drink  pure  Maireya  wine  or 
Rum,  even  as  the  God  Indra  makes  Sachi  partake  of  nectar. 
Nor  was  the  practice  confined  to  the  Court,  for  it  is  incidentally 
mentioned,  that  King  Bharata  found  his  city  Ayodya  plunged 
in  grief  for  the  loss  of  Rama,  one  symptom  of  grief  being  the 
absence  of  the  exhilarating  aroma  of  Arrack.  Moreover,  in  the 
palaces  of  Sugriva,  the  King  of  the  Monkeys,  and  of  Ravana, 
the  King  of  the  Rakhsha,  the  greatest  glory  was  the  smell  of 
Arrack,  as  the  Poets  could  not  conceive  the  notion  of  luxury, 
joy  and  splendour,  without  the  presence  of  intoxicating  liquor 
in  ample  abundance. 


(     134    ) 

In  the  Mahabharata,  another  magnificent  Epic  of  a  later  date 
than  the  Ramayana,  the  leading  characters,  whether  Heroes, 
or  Demigods,  or  Krishna,  himself  the  Incarnation  of  the 
Supreme  Deity,  are  described  as  indulging  in  strong  drinks, 
and  no  pleasure  party  was  complete  without  them :  we  read  of 
Krishna  and  Arjuna,  with  their  wives  and  sisters  and  daughters, 
indulging  in  drink.  Queen  Sudeshna  is  described  as  sending 
her  maid  to  get  a  flagon  of  good  drink  for  her  use :  the  Yadava, 
of  whose  race  Krishna  was  born  in  the  flesh,  are  described  as 
being  so  overcome  with  drink  at  a  seaside  watering-place,  that 
they  destroyed  each  other  in  sheer  drunkenness. 

The  doctrines  of  Buddha  must  have  contributed  much  to 
check  drunkenness,  and  the  use  of  wine,  as  well  as  of  flesh, 
but  could  not  suppress  either.  The  Jataka  and  Avadana  abound 
with  stories  of  drunkenness :  it  must  be  recollected,  that  the 
Jataka  are  the  narratives  of  the  former  births  of  Buddha 
himself:  whether  they  are  historical,  or  fanciful  tales,  they 
reflect  the  notions  of  their  compilers  on  this  subject.  In  the 
sculptures  of  Sanchi  are  figures  of  ladies  of  high  rank,  and 
their  attendants  holding  cups  and  flagons.  In  a  Buddhist 
drama,  the  Nagananda,  the  plot  turns  upon  the  vagaries  of 
a  drunkard,  who  had  for  his  love  one  of  the  attendants  of  the 
Queen.  In  other  love-scenes  the  lover  is  described  as  ofi'ering 
overflowing  goblets  to  his  lady-love.  We  may  look  at  the 
subject  from  another  point  of  view.  Mr.  Spence  Hardy,  in  his 
Manual  of  Buddhism,  tells  us,  how  the  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors  is  forbidden  :  when  only  as  much  tari,  or  toddy,  is  drunk, 
as  can  be  held  in  the  palm  of  the  hand,  it  is  a  minor  off"ence  : 
it  is  greater,  when  the  amount  can  be  held  in  both  hands  ;  and 
greater  still,  when  so  much  is  drunk,  that  all  things  turn  round. 
To  constitute  the  crime  of  drinking  there  must  be  (i)  intoxi- 
cating liquors  made  from  flour,  bread,  or  other  kind  of  food  : 

(2)  actual  intoxication  produced  by  these  liquors:  (3)  they  must 
be  taken  with  the  intention  of  producing  the  eff"ect :  (4)  they 
must  be  taken  of  free  will.  Many  a  regular  toper  would  escape 
punishment  by  an  ingenious  application  of  these  rules.  More- 
over, the  Christian  Aloralist  would  scarcely  think  the  Buddhist 
motive  for  temperance  sufficient,  being  only  to  avoid  the  six  evil 
consequences,    (i)    loss    of    wealth;     (2)    arising    of    quarrels; 

(3)  production  of  diseases,  like  sore  eyes;  (4)  bringing  down 
the  disgrace  of  rebuke  from  Parents  or  Superiors;  (5)  exposure 
to  shame  for  going  about  naked  ;  (6)  loss  of  judgment  for 
carrying  on  the  afl'airs  of  the  world.  It  is  clear,  that  the  use  of 
liquor  taken  moderately  was  not  deemed  wrong,  and  that 
worldly  advantage  was  the  only  incentive  to  induce  a  man  not 
to  degrade  himself  to  the  position  of  a  beast  by  getting  drunk. 

The    great    Dramatist    Kalidasa    probably    lived    after    the 


(     135     ) 

Christian  era;  the  latest  date  assigned  is  600  a.d.  :  in  the 
famous  drama  of  the  Sakontala,  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Police,  who  is  also  brother  of  the  King,  proposes  to  spend 
the  present,  which  he  had  received,  in  a  glass  of  good  liquor  at 
the  next  wine-shop.  An  English  Policeman  could  not  have 
been  more  pronounced  in  his  taste  for  strong  drink.  In  the 
fine  Heroic  Poem,  the  Raghuvansa,  by  the  same  Poet,  one  of 
the  grandest  of  Poems,  drinking-booths  are  described  as  being 
set  up  at  Rajamandri  by  the  soldiers  of  Raghu,  an  ancestor  of 
Rama,  to  drink  the  famous  cocoa-nut  liquor  of  that  place.  It 
is  clear  also,  that  women  of  quality  drank  in  their  husband's 
society ;  for  in  the  great  Poem  by  Kalidasa,  the  Kumara 
Sambhava,  Rati,  the  Indian  Venus,  the  wife  of  Kama,  the  God 
of  Love,  mourning  the  loss  of  her  husband,  says : 

Rice-liquor  (alias  arrack)  which  causes  the  reddened  eyes  to  roll,  and  speech 
to  get  disjointed  at  every  step,  has  in  thy  absence  become  a  torture  to  poor 
women. 

In  the  same  Poem  it  is  described,  how  the  ladies  rushed  to 
the  window  to  see  a  procession,  and  evolved  the  odour  of  arrack, 
which  they  had  drunk. 

The  Purana  vary  in  date  :  the  oldest  has  been  placed  in  the 
sixth  century  of  the  Christian  era  ;  the  latest  in  the  thirteenth, 
or  even  the  sixteenth  century:  they  abound  in  descriptions  of 
wine  and  drinking,  and,  though  the  object  of  many  of  them  is  to 
condemn  the  use  of  wine,  the  inference  is  clear,  that  there  was 
a  widespread  malady,  which  they  proposed  to  overcome.  The 
Bhagavata  Purana  enjoins  the  use  of  spirit  by  the  Brahmans 
at  one  particular  rite.  In  another  Purana  the  great  Goddess 
Durga  is  represented  as  particularly  addicted  to  strong  drinks. 

Other  quotations  from  later  authors  could  be  made  ad 
libitum,  more  particularly  from  the  poetical  literature,  to  show 
how  frequently  references  are  made  to  drinking  among  the 
higher  classes.  The  Tantra  are  books  of  a  later  date  than  the 
Purana,  and  are  of  extreme  importance  with  reference  to  the 
life  of  the  modern  Hindu  :  the  Saiva  Tantra  gives  full  liberty 
to  their  votaries  to  indulge  in  drinking  spirits.  No  worship  to 
the  Devi  can  be  complete  without  wine,  and  the  worshippers 
sit  round  a  jar  of  arrack,  and  drink,  and  drink,  till  they  fall  to 
the  ground  in  utter  helplessness.  The  most  appropriate  way 
of  drinking  liquor  is  in  the  mystic  circle,  but,  as  this  cannot 
be  got  every  day,  the  devotee  takes  the  bulk  of  his  potations 
after  his  evening  prayer. 

Pulastya,  an  ancient  sage,  and  author  of  one  of  the  Smriti, 
of  a  remote  and  uncertain  age,  enumerates  twelve  different  kinds 
of  liquor  beside  the  Soma-beer  :  they  are  (i)  the  Jack,  (2)  the 
grape,  (3)  the  honey,  (4)  the  date,  (5)  the  palm,  (6)  the  sugar- 
cane, (7)  the  Mohwa,  (8)  the  long-pepper,  (g)  the  soap-berry. 


(     ^36     ) 

(lo)  the  rum,  (ii)  the  cocoa-nut,  (12)  the  arrack  or  rice:  the 
mode  of  preparing  all  these  liquors  is  described  in  one  of  the 
Tantra,  and  they  were  all  taken  neat,  and  it  was  necessary  to 
eat  a  wine-biscuit  with  them,  to  remove  the  smarting  in  the 
mouth  caused  by  raw  spirit.  These  wine-biscuits  had  many 
technical  names,  and  one  of  the  names  of  the  great  God  Siva, 
the  third  of  the  Triad,  is  "  Lord  of  wine-biscuits."  No  drinking 
party  was  complete  without  these  titbits. 

We  learn  from  Arrian's  Periplus  of  the  Erythraean  Sea,  that 
quantities  of  foreign  wine  were  regularly  imported  into  India 
two  thousand  years  ago,  and  met  a  ready  sale.  The  varieties 
mentioned  are  from  Laodicea,  Italy  and  Arabia  :  they  were  more 
costly  than  the  Native  wines,  and  only  used  by  the  rich.  History 
seems  to  repeat  itself;  and  the  British  Shipper,  Distiller  and 
Brewer  had  his  prototype,  and  is  but  a  servile  imitator  of  the 
astute  Greeks  ! 

Medical  works  of  the  Hindu  tell  us  of  the  diseases,  which 
were  the  sure  punishment  of  intemperance :  we  find  in  Sanskrit 
the  word  wine -horror,  suggesting  deliriimi  tremens:  wine- 
disease,  suggesting  gout :  wine-death,  suggesting  the  well- 
known  phrase  "  drank  himself  to  death."  The  description  of 
the  diseases  is  given  in  Sanskrit  words.  Such  names  could  not 
have  come  into  existence,  had  there  not  been  immoderate 
drinking  in  many  instances  to  give  rise  to  the  complaint.  In 
medical  works  there  are  a  number  of  recipes  for  removing  the 
odour  of  wine  from  the  mouth.  We  have  seen,  how  in  elder  days 
the  aroma  of  spirits  was  not  concealed,  but  welcomed,  even 
from  the  mouths  of  ladies:  a  more  hypocritical  age  tried  to  hunt 
with  total  abstainers  and  run  with  the  drunkards :  there  was 
clearly  a  class  of  rich  men  who  drank  in  secret,  and  wished  to  pass 
among  their  neighbours  as  total  abstainers,  like  the  women  in 
Europe,  who  in  this  generation  drink  liquors  sent  in  from  the 
Grocers'  stores,  and  get  rid  of  the  smell  with  peppermint 
lozenges. 

I  feel  a  sort  of  compunction  in  thus  exposing  the  venerable 
Veda,  and  the  charming  Epics,  and  Dramas  of  the  Hindu  to 
scorn  :  they  have  been  the  delight  of  my  life.  No  one,  who 
had  read  Horace  or  Juvenal,  can  doubt,  that  the  Romans  drank 
more  than  was  good  for  them.  Homer  tells  us  in  the  Odyssee 
iii.  139: 

and  he  himself  is  said  never  to  have  prosecuted  his  labour  as  a 
poet  till  he  was  well  drunk.  We  cannot  doubt  that  the  Greeks 
drank.  The  great  catena  of  Greek  authors  could  be  quoted  to 
show  that  they  drank  and  drank  to  excess  :  they  attributed  to 
their  Gods  the  same  weaknesses  as  their  own  :    otherwise  what 


(     137     ) 

occasion  had  Jupiter  for  Hebe  and  Ganymede  as  cupbearers  ! 
When  Mercury  visited  Calypso,  she  served  him  with  drink. 
Minerva  was  the  only  one  of  the  Immortals  who  never  drank : 
if  it  be  argued,  that  this  .was  only  the  fancy  of  the  Poets,  I  reply. 
Just  so  :  their  writings  reflect  the  feelings  of  their  own  age. 
whether  in  India  or  Hellas  :  they  do  not  allude  to  Railways  and 
Telegraphs,  but  they  do  to  drink,  because  they  and  their  hearers 
knew  what  it  was. 

When  Peter  with  the  Apostles  were  charged  with  being  full  of 
new  wine,  he  did  not  repel  the  insinuation  as  a  gross  insult,  but 
remarked  that  it  was  not  the  third  hour  of  the  day,  or,  as  Dean 
Alford  puts  it. 

He  showed  the  improbability  of  intoxication  at  that  hour  of  the  morning. 

Hence  a  fair  inference  that  some  of  the  Jews  at  that  period 
drank.  We  cannot  admit,  that  the  Hindu  Nation  were  a  good 
innocent  people,  who  did  not  know  how  to  make  fermented 
beverages,  how  to  distil,  how  to  import  from  Europe,  how  to 
drink  to  intoxication  like  brute  beasts,  how  to  acquire  frightful 
diseases,  how  to  get  rid  of  the  odour  of  wine  from  their  mouths, 
and  to  play  the  part  of  sanctified  total  abstainers,  until  they  had 
been  taught  all  these  tricks  by  the  British  Collector  of  Revenue, 
anxious  to  increase  the  Excise :  and  yet  it  is  necessary  to  place 
these  facts  on  record. 

But  perhaps  the  Pagan  tribes  of  India,  who  lie  outside  of  the 
Hindu  and  Alahometan  Civilization  and  Religion,  according  to 
the  Poets  and  popular  fancy  leading  rude  and  simple  pastoral 
lives  in  secluded  valleys,  or  on  the  slopes  of  the  Himalaya,  had 
escaped  this  contamination.  Up  to  this  day  many  of  them  have 
scarcely  seen  a  European,  or  visited  a  City.  Forty  years  ago 
Mr.  Brian  Hodgson  thus  wrote  of  the  Bodo  and  Dhimal  on  the 
confines  of  Assam  : 

They  use  abundance  of  fermented  liquor  made  of  rice,  or  millet  :  it  is  not 
unpleasant.  Brewing,  and  not  distilling,  seems  the  characteristic  of  all  non- 
Arian  races,  all  of  whom  make  beer,  and  not  spirits  :  the  process  is  very  simple  : 
the  grain  is  boiled  :  a  plant  is  mixed  with  it,  and  it  is  left  to  ferment  :  in  four 
days  the  liquor  is  ready  :  the  plant  for  fermenting  is  grown  at  home  :  this 
tribe  use  tobacco,  but  no  opium  or  distilled  liquor.  I  do  not  brand  them 
with  the  name  of  drunkards,  though  they  certainly  love  a  merry  cup  in  hottoiir 
of  their  Gods  at  the  high  festivals  of  their  religion  :  among  my  own  servants 
the  Bodo  have  never  been  drunk  :  the  Mahometan  and  Hindu  several  times 
excessively  so. 

The  aborigines,  the  Santal,  are  notorious  for  their  fondness 
for  beer. 

The  Mahometans  conquered  India  about  800  a.d.  :  many 
aliens  settled  in  India :  some  Hindu  were  converted  by  force, 
or  fraud,  or  for  desire  of  gain  :  thousands  of  wild  Non-Arian 
tribes  have  accepted  a  veneer  of  Mahometanism,  but  are  Pagan 


(    us    ) 

still.  Even  the  converted  Hindu  retain  the  Caste-names,  and 
the  Hindu  law  with  regard  to  Marriage  and  Succession.  We 
have  fortunately  full  accounts  of  the  way  of  living  of  the 
Emperors  and  Nobles,  but  scant  notice  of  the  ways  of  the  lower 
class.     History  is  generally  silent  about  them. 

Here  is  a  contemporary's  peep  into  the  life  of  Mahmud  of 
Ghazni,  the  first  invader  of  India : 

The  Amir  said  to  Abd-ur-Razzak  :  "Shall  we  drink  a  little  wine?" 
Accordingly  much  wine  was  brought  into  the  garden,  and  fifty  goblets  placed 
in  the  middle  of  a  small  tent.  The  Amir  said,  "Let  us  drink  fair  measure, 
and  fill  the  cups  evenly,  in  order  that  there  may  be  no  unfairness."  They 
began  to  get  jolly.  Bu-i  Hasan  drank  five  goblets  :  his  head  was  affected  at 
the  sixth  :  he  lost  his  senses  at  the  seventh,  and  began  to  vomit  at  the  eighth, 
when  the  servants  carried  him  off.  Bu-ala,  the  physician,  dropped  his  head 
at  the  fifth  cup,  and  was  carried  off.  Khalil  Daud  drank  ten  :  Suja  Biruz 
nine  :  and  both  were  borne  away.  Bu-Nain  drank  twelve  and  ran  oii  :  when 
the  Khwaja  had  drunk  twelve  cups,  he  made  his  obesiance  and  said  to  the 
Amir,  "If you  give  your  slave  anymore,  he  will  lose  his  respect  to  your 
Majesty,  as  well  as  his  own  wits."  The  Amir  laughed,  and  went  on  drinking. 
He  drank  twenty-seven  goblets  :  he  then  arose,  and  called  for  a  basin  of  water, 
and  his  praying-carpet,  washed  his  face,  and  recited  the  midday  prayers  as  well 
as  the  afternoon  ones,  and  he  so  acquitted  himself  that  you  would  not  have  said 
that  he  had  drunk  a  single  cup  :  he  then  returned  to  the  Palace  on  an  elephant. 
I  witnessed  the  whole  scene  with  my  eyes. —  Tarikk  Subuktegin,  Elliot's 
"  Historians  of  India,''  vol.  ii.  p.  145. 

Sultan  Muizzu-d-dunya  plunged  at  once  into  dissipation  :  his  companions  all 
joined  him  :  the  example  spread,  and  all  ranks,  high  and  low,  learned  and 
unlearned,  acquired  a  taste  for  wine-drinking.  Night  and  day  the  Sultan  gave 
himself  up  entirely  to  dissipation  and  enjoyment.  One  of  the  nobles  said  : 
"  Suppose  you  kill  the  drunken  insensate  king  by  some  villainous  contrivance." 
— Elliot's  "Historians,"  vol.  iii.  pp.  126-129. 

Sultan  Ala-ud-din  prohibited  wine-drinking  and  wine-selling,  and  also  the 
use  of  beer  and  drugs.  Jars  and  casks  of  wine  were  brought  up  from  the  royal 
cellars,  and  emptied  into  the  streets  in  such  quantities,  that  muil  and  mire  was 
formed.  The  dissolute  used  to  make  and  distd  wine  clandestinely,  and  drink 
at  a  great  price  :  they  put  it  into  leather  bags  and  conveyed  it  in  hay  and  fire- 
wood. By  hundreds  of  devices  it  was  brought  into  the  city  :  when  seized,  the 
wine  was  given  to  the  elephants  to  drink  :  the  sellers  were  flogged  and  sent  to 
prison,  but  the  numbers  increased  so,  that  holes  for  their  incarceration  were 
dug  outside  the  gate  :  the  severity  of  this  confinement  caused  many  to  die  : 
those,  who  could  not  give  up  the  habit,  went  out  to  the  fords  of  the  river,  and 
procured  liquor  ;  the  horror  of  confinement  deterred  others.  Desperate  men 
still  drank,  and  even  sold  liquor  :  seeing  this  difliculty,  the  Sultan  ordered, 
that,  if  the  liquor  was  distilled  in  private  houses,  and  consumed  in  secret,  and 
no  parties  were  found  drunk,  it  might  go  on. 

Baber,  the  great  conqueror  of  India,  the  founder  of  the 
Moghul  dynasty,  was  a  constant  and  jovial  toper  :  many  a 
drunken  party  is  recorded  in  his  Memoirs  :  even  in  the  middle 
of  a  campaign  there  is  no  interruption  of  his  excessive  jollity. 
Ex.  gr. : 

We  continued  at  this  place  drinking  till  the  sun  was  on  the  decline  :  those 
who  had  been  of  the  party  were  completely  drunk.  Saiyad  Khan  was  so  drunk, 
that  two  of  his  servants  were  obliged  to  put  him   on   horseback,  and  brought 


(     139     ) 

him  to  the  camp  with  difficulty.  Dost  Maliommed  Bakur  was  so  far  gone, 
that  they  could  not  get  him  on  horseback :  they  poured  a  quantity  of  water 
over  him,  but  to  no  purpose.  A  body  of  the  Afghans  (the  enemy)  appeared  in 
sight,  and  they  threw  him  on  a  horse,  and  brought  him  off. 

On  some  occasions  they  contrived  to  be  drunk  four  times  in 
twenty-four  hours :  they  began  to  drink  and  kept  up  the  party 
until  evening  prayers  (they  were  strict  Mahometans). 

Baber  writes  himself: 

I  now  want  something  less  than  one  year  of  forty  years,  and  I  drink  wine 
most  copiously. 

In  1527  A.D.  he  began  a  course  of  rigorous  reform,  and  there 
is  something  picturesque  in  the  very  solemn  and  remarkable 
account  of  this  great  revolution  in  his  habits :  however,  his 
indulgence  had  shortened  his  days.  He  was  a  truly  great 
man,  in  spite  of  all  his  weaknesses,  and  showed  his  greatness 
in  his  manly  struggle  against  his  habits  of  intemperance : 
"  Hostium  victor  et  sui." 

I  had  collected  the  above  quotations  before  I  started  on  my 
late  expedition  to  Morocco :  on  my  return  I  find  upon  my  table 
additional  evidence  of  the  gross  intemperance  of  the  Mahome- 
tans in  India  collected  for  a  totally  different  purpose  in  the 
columns  of  the  Church. Missionary  Intelligencer  of  December, 
1887,  p.  727.  This  is  the  Society,  to  whose  service  I  have 
devoted  myself  for  many  years,  and  by  an  odd  chance  the 
father  of  Archdeacon  Farrar  was  of  this  Society  an  honoured 
Missionary,  and  his  Marathi  hymns  are  still  sung  in  the  Native 
Churches  of  Western  India.  The  statements,  which  I  quote, 
were  made  by  a  writer,  who  knew  what  he  was  about,  having 
been  many  years  a  Chaplain  in  India,  and  they  were  made  in 
reply  to  one  of  the  greatest  paradoxes  of  modern  time,  an 
attempt  on  the  part  of  a  beneficed  Clergyman  of  the  Church  of 
England  to  prove,  that  Mahometan  ism  to  certain  races  was  a 
more  suitable  religion  than  Christianity,  and  that  Mahometans 
were  total  abstainers. 

On  this  supposed  abolition  of  drunkenness,  a  much  bewildered  correspon- 
dent of  the  Guardian  (October  19th)  recalls  the  memory  of  Selim  the  Sot,  the 
temporal  and  spiritual  head  of  Islam,  and  that  drink  cut  short  the  splendid 
career  of  Amurath  IV.  We  read  in  MoitntsUiart  Elphinstone  (vol.  ii.  p.  49) 
that  Ala-ud-din's  constitution  had  yielded  to  a  long  course  of  intemperance. 
When  he  was  beset  with  conspiracies,  his  counsellors  traced  his  troubles  to 
convivial  meetings,  where  men  opened  their  thoughts  to  each  other.  The 
Emperor  Baber  tried  to  persuade  a  friend  to  leave  off  wine,  but  he  admitted  that 
drinking  was  a  very  pleasant  thing  with  old  friends  and  companions.  Elphin- 
stone remarks,  that  it  would  have  been  fortunate,  if  Baber  had  left  off  drinking 
wine  sooner,  for  there  seems  good  reason  to  think  his  indulgence  in  it  tended 
to  shorten  his  days.  Many  a  drinking  party  is  recorded  in  his  Memoirs. 
Akbar's  third  son,  Danial,  when  debarred  by  his  father's  order  from  wine,  had 
liquor  conveyed  to  him  iii  the  barrel  of  a  fowling-piece,  and  thus,  having  free 


(     140     ) 

access  to  indulgence,  brought  his  life  to  a  close  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  his  age. 
Akbar  himself,  in  his  youth,  indulged  in  wine  and  good  living.  Sir  Thomas 
Roe  tells  us,  that  Jehangir  never  left  off  drinking  till  he  fell  asleep,  scarcely  one  of 
the  party  remaining  sober.  In  his  drunkenness  he  talked  with  great  liberality 
of  all  religions  ;  then  he  fell  to  weeping  and  to  various  passions  which  kept 
them  till  midnight.  It  was  when  he  was  recovering  from  a  fit  of  drunkenness 
that  he  was  seized  and  deposed.  Shall  Sliuja,  the  son  of  Shah  Jehan,  was 
given  up  to  wine  and  pleasure  :  he  was  a  mere  drunkard.  His  brother, 
Morad,  was  seized  when  in  a  helpless  s;ate  of  intoxication,  and  imprisoned 
and  murdered  by  Aurangzib.  It  would  be  easy  to  extend  this  bead-roll  of 
Mahometan  monarchs,  who  have  been  amongst  the  most  conspicuous  drunkards 
of  their  times. 

And  another  writer  tells  us  : 

So  far  as  abstinence  from  strong  drink  is  concerned,  Moslems  do  show  how 
much  may  be  accomplished  by  repressive  measures,  and  we  may  take  a  lesson 
from  them  ;  but  with  regard  to  inebriating  drugs  their  example  is  quite  the 
other  way,  and  of  the  two  their  vice  is  the  worse.  The  tendency  of  intoxica- 
tion through  drink  is  to  delirium  tremens,  which  is  a  suicidal  mania  ;  but  the 
tendency  of  inebriation  through  bhang  is  to  homicidal  mania.  The  delirious 
Mahometan  "  runs  a  muck  "  ;  armed  with  daggers  and  other  life-destraying 
weapons,  he  runs  through  town  or  country  stabbing,  maiming,  and  killing 
every  man,  woman  or  child  whom  he  meets.  I  well  remember  the  suffering 
and  terror,  that  were  caused  on  one  occasion,  when  four  such  maniacs  "  ran  a 
muck "  in  one  day,  with  such  violence,  that  the  authorities  turned  out  a 
company  of  soldiers  and  shot  them  down.  It  was  summary  vengeance,  but 
the  only  way  of  saving  innocent  lives.  I  do  not  think  that  such  cases  are  now 
as  frequent  in  India  and  Ceylon  as  they  were  forty  years  since,  and  I  think  that 
the  indirect  influence  of  Christianity  has  caused  the  decrease. 

Nor  is  it  peculiar  to  India :  the  Odes  of  the  celebrated  Poet 
Hafiz  tell  us  how  : 

My  spiritual  guide  went  from  the  Mosque  to  the  Wine-shop. 

And  he  makes  an  appeal  to  the  Cup-bearer,  to 

Pass  on  good  wine,  for  he  would  not  find  in  Paradise  such  charms  as  the 
world  bestowed. 

I  quote  from  the  Missionary  Periodicals  : 

"Islam,"  says  one  defender  of  Islam,  "  has  abolished  drunkenness."  Has 
it?  Night  after  night  we  took  up  dozens,  I  may  say,  of  drunkards  in  the 
streets  of  Zanzibar.  Many  high-class  natives  were  drunkards  on  the  sly  ;  and, 
when  a  Moslem  does  drink,  he  will  pawn  his  last  rag  for  liquor,  or,  as  was 
frequently  the  case  with  the  men  we  apprehended,  would  commit  robbery 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  gratifying  their  love  for  liquor  ;  but  enough.  The 
man,  who  has  not  travelled  in  Mahometan  countries,  may  never  have  seen 
drunken  Mahometans,  but  we  have. 

There  is  a  famous  story  in  Mahometan  books,  how  a  Kadi, 
whose  duty  it  was  to  punish  drinkers,  privately  indulged  in 
drink  at  night,  and  was  in  the  early  morning  caught  in  the  act 
by  his  Sovereign,  who  was  about  to  decapitate  him,  when  he 
begged,  that  the  shutters  of  the  windows  open  to  the  East 
might  be  opened,  and  he  be  informed  from  which  quarter  of  the 


(     141     ) 

horizon  the  Sun  was  rising.  When  told,  that  it  was  from  the 
East,  he  quoted  from  the  Koran : 

So  long  as  the  Sun  rises  from  the  East,  so  long  will  God  have  mercy  on  His 
children. 

He  then  knelt  down  submissive  to  his  fate :  he  had  learnt  some- 
thing from  the  Koran  better  than  Temperance,  viz.  Faith  and 
Submission  to  the  Divine  Decree.     This  is  Islam. 

In  the  time  of  the  Emperor  Baber,  a  new  Sect  of  the  Hindu 
Religion  came  into  existence,  founded  by  Baba  Nanak,  and 
became  so  influential,  that  their  tenets  are  often  talked  of  as  a 
separate  Religion  :  it  was  an  upheaval  of  the  lower  classes,  and 
a  war  against  Caste.  All  fanatics  and  lawgivers  must  forbid 
something.  Moses  and  Mahomet  forbade  swine's  flesh :  the  Popes 
of  Rome  forbade  a  large  and  influential  portion  of  the  community, 
male  and  female,  to  marry:  the  Total  Abstinence  Society  forbids 
liquor:  Baba  Nanak  forbade  tobacco.  Smoking  is  a  nasty  habit, 
but  it  scarcely  amounts  to  a  sin.  The  day  will  come,  when  an 
Anti-Smoking  Society  will  arise  :  all  such  prohibitions  are  limi- 
tations of  Christian  liberty,  and  I  protest  against  Total  Abstinence 
being  made  anything  more  than  a  very  proper  moral  inculcation 
to  youth.  Baba  Nanak  forbade  tobacco  :  the  Sikhs  took  it  out 
in  another  quarter : 

Naturam  expellas  furca,  tamen  usque  recurret  : 

they  became  terrible  consumers  of  opium,  decoction  of  poppy- 
heads,  and  spirituous  liquors  generally.  I  lived  many  happy 
years  in  their  midst.  I  was  present  at  the  taking  of  Lahore,  and 
the  conquest  of  the  country,  and  I  found  liquor-shops  in 
abundance,  and  decoction  of  poppy-heads,  called  Post,  set  out 
in  brass  cups  for  free  sale,  like  ginger-beer  in  London,  and,  as  I 
was  placed  in  charge  of  one  of  the  newly-conquered  districts,  one 
of  my  first  duties  was  to  regulate  the  number  of  shops  for  sale  of 
liquors,  take  the  sale  of  opium  entirely  into  the  control  of  the 
State,  and  impose  a  heavy  tax  on  intoxicating  liquors.  The 
Sikhs  are  a  magnificent  race  in  stature,  living  long  lives,  and 
having  large  families,  and  yet  they  habitually  took  their  daily 
opium  pill,  and  lay  like  logs  on  the  ground,  until  the  narcotic 
had  worked  itself  off. 

In  the  History  of  the  Panjab  published  in  two  volumes  by 
Messrs.  Allen  in  1 846,  I  find  it  noted,  that  the  famous  Maharaja 
Ranjit  Singh,  the  putative  father  of  the  well-known  Dulip  Singh, 
was  unreserved  in  all  his  habits,  and  his  diet  consisted  of  high 
stimulants,  of  which  he  partook  sparingly.  At  his  interview  with 
Lord  Auckland,  the  Governor-General,  in  1838,  Ranjit  Singh, 
after  pressing  His  Lordship  to  take  part  in  the  drinking,  drained 
the  cup  of  fiery  liquid  to  the  dregs.  This  excess  produced  upon 
the  Maharaja  such  a  severe  fit  of  apoplexy,  that  Lord  Auckland 


(     142     ) 

took  leave  of  him  lying  on  his  couch,  scarcely  able  to  articulate. 
His  wine  was  extracted  from  raisins,  a  quantity  of  pearls  being 
ground  to  povvder  and  mixed  with  it :  it  was  made  for  Ranjit 
Singh  alone  :  he  sometimes  gave  a  few  bottles  to  his  Chiefs.  It 
w-as  as  strong  as  Brandy  :  the  only  food  allowed  at  his  drinking 
feasts  was  fat  quails,  stuffed  with  sage,  and  this  abominable 
liquid  fire.  His  sensual  indulgences  were  the  vices  of  his 
country. 

His  grandson  Maharaja  Nou  Nihal  Singh  in  his  moral  habits 
was  an  example  to  the  corrupt  Court,  being  sober,  and  com- 
paratively temperate  amidst  the  debauchery  round  him.  He 
was  killed  at  the  age  of  twenty-two.  IMaharaja  Shir  Singh,  son 
of  Ranjit  Singh,  was  a  good-natured  sensualist,  and  solaced 
himself  with  an  unrestrained  indulgence  in  every  species  of 
intemperance.  He  was  killed  and  was  succeeded  by  his  half- 
brother,  a  supposititious  child  of  Ranjit  Singh,  named  Dulip 
Singh,  so  well  known  in  England :  the  officers  of  the  Army 
proceeded  to  the  Palace  and  remonstrated  against  the  brother 
of  the  Maharaja's  mother  continuing  as  Chief  Minister,  re- 
proaching him  to  his  face  with  drunkenness.  He  was  so  drunk, 
that  he  could  not  hold  a  Durbar,  and  the  mother  of  Maharaja 
Dulip  Singh,  besides  her  unbridled  profligacy  with  her  paramour, 
indulged  in  similar  excesses,  and  in  August,  1845,  her  faculties 
became  seriously  impaired  by  these  indulgences :  she  used  to 
sink  into  a  state  of  stupor,  from  which  she  could  only  be  raised 
by  the  stimulus  of  strong  drink ;  on  one  occasion  a  letter  from 
the  Governor-General  awaited  a  reply,  but  none  could  be  sent 
because  the  mother  and  uncle  of  the  Maharaja  Dulip  Singh, 
and  the  boy  himself,  aged  6,  were  all  drunk :  on  the  following 
day  there  was  no  Durbar,  because  the  Wazir,  and  the  Members 
of  the  Council,  were  intoxicated. 

It  is  not  pleasant  to  me  thus  to  expose  the  weaknesses  of  any 
class  of  Her  Majesty's  subjects,  whether  in  Westminster  or 
Lahore  ;  but,  since  it  has  been  distinctly  laid  down  by  Archdeacon 
Farrar  at  a  public  meeting,  that  the  British  Government  found 
India  sober,  it  is  necessary,  distinctly,  and  by  quotations,  to 
show,  that  that  statement  is  not  exact.  I  could  have  added 
indefinitely  to  the  number  of  quotations :  there  is  scarcely  a 
battle,  which  we  have  fought  in  India,  in  which  it  is  not 
recorded,  that  the  soldiers  of  the  enemy  were  encouraged  to  the 
fight  by  copious  libations  of  Arrack.  It  is  an  unquestionable 
fact,  that  a  large  number  of  the  classes,  of  which  the  Indian 
population  is  composed,  habitually  drink  ;  that  weddings  are 
always  accompanied  by  additional  sui)jilies  of  wine,  specially 
got  in  for  the  purpose,  as  indeed  was  the  marriage  of  Cana  in 
Galilee,  and  a  modern  wedding  in  any  part  of  Europe  :  that 
there  is   a  special  Caste,  called  the  Kulal,  or  wine-seller,  and 


(     143     ) 

that  it  might  as  well  be  said,  that  the  British  introduced  the  use 
of  gunpowder,  and  calico  garments,  as  of  liquor  and  drugs. 
1  now  proceed  to  the  second  part  of  the  I'hesis : 

"  ^ntJ  iiJE  left  3(nt)ia  brunlten." 

Nature  has  supplied  the  people  of  India  with  an  abundance 
and  variety  of  intoxicating  liquors,  and  stupefying  drugs,  beyond 
the  lot  of  any  other  nation.  There  is  indeed  a  lack  of  grape 
wine,  and  the  brewing  of  European  beer  has  only  been  intro- 
duced for  the  benefit  of  the  European  community ;  but  sugar 
to  make  rum,  hemp  to  produce  charas,  and  bhang,  rice  to 
produce  Arrack,  the  palm  tree  to  produce  the  Tari  or  Toddy, 
the  Mohwa  or  Bassia  latifolia  to  produce  the  celebrated  liquor, 
the  Poppy  to  produce  the  opium,  and  the  poppy-decoction 
called  Post  in  the  North  of  India,  and  Kusumbha  in  the  South, 
the  Cereals  ready  for  the  preparation  of  Gin  in  any  form ;  all  these 
deadly  ingredients  and  many  others,  grow  spontaneously  with  the 
smallest  amount  of  culture  :  the  process  of  bre\ying,  or  distilling, 
is  of  the  simplest  character:  the  price  is  ridiculously  low,  and 
the  wild  character  of  a  great  part  of  the  country  is  all  in  favour 
of  the  smuggler,  and  illicit  distiller,  or  the  still  in  the  privacy  of 
the  secluded  house.  In  the  memory  of  man  the  British  troops 
used  to  be  employed  in  Ireland  to  hunt  for  illicit  stills  in  the 
Mountainous  tracts,  and  the  smuggler  on  the  Coast  of  Great 
Britain  has  only  been  got  rid  of  by  an  entire  change  of  the 
financial  system.  The  problem  presented  to  the  Government 
of  India  was  one  of  the  most  complicated  and  difficult.  But  it 
was  clearly  the  duty  of  the  Government,  and  the  Government 
did  not  shrink  from  the  discharge  of  that  duty,  at  a  time,  when 
its  power  was  not  so  overwhelming  and  undisputed  as  it  is  now. 

In  the  Ayin  Akbari  there  is  a  list  of  taxes  remitted  by  Akbar, 
among  them  is  a  tax  on  spirituous  liquors,  but  it  was  reimposed, 
as  it  appears  in  later  fiscal  statements.  In  the  Province  of 
Bangal  in  1722,  under  the  Nawabs,  this  tax  existed,  and  the 
British  found  it,  when  they  assumed  the  Government  in  1763 
A.D.,  but  it  was  exceedingly  light,  and  in  1785  a  bottle  of 
spirituous  liquor  could  be  purchased  for  one  pice,  about  a  half- 
penny, sufficient  in  amount  to  make  a  man  drunk.  Complaints 
were  then  rife  of  the  spread  of  drunkenness  among  the  lower 
classes,  and  just  one  century  ago,  1789,  the  matter  was  taken  up 
by  Mr.  John  Shore,  afterwards  Lord  Teignmouth,  and  President 
of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  one  of  the  most  high- 
minded,  pious,  and  benevolent  of  men,  and  the  ablest  of  Indian 
Statesmen.  Lord  Cornwallis  was  then  Governor-General,  and 
in  1790  by  his  orders  a  notification  was  issued,  that  no  person 
should  hereafter  make  or  vend  spirituous  liquors,  except  on  the 
part  of  Government,  and  the  collectors  of  Land  Revenue  were 


(     144    ) 

charged  with  the  diit}^  of  carrying  out  details.  The  grounds, 
which  led  to  this  decision,  were  moral,  and  one  of  the  conditions 
of  each  licence  was,  that  the  holder  should  prevent  drunkenness, 
and  not  receive  any  goods  in  barter  for  liquor,  and  close  his 
shop  at  g  p.m.  Regulations  were  enacted  in  1793  and  1800, 
and  in  the  preamble  it  is  stated,  that  one  of  the  reasons  for 
passing  the  rules  was  the  inordinate  use  of  liquors  and  dnigs,  which 
had  become  prevalent  owing  to  the  very  inconsiderable  price, 
at  which  they  were  sold  previous  to  lyqo  a.d.  In  1802  the  great 
Governor-General,  the  Marquess  of  Wellesley,  circulated  interro- 
gatories, regarding  the  operation  of  the  system,  and  inquired, 
whether  the  tax  had  rendered  the  vice  of  drunkenness  more 
prevalent.  The  Court  of  Appeal  at  Morshedahad  replied  in  the 
negative,  adding,  however,  that  it  had  not  decreased,  but  that  it 
was  not  general,  and  the  labouring  poor  never  touched  liquor: 
other  authorities  replied  in  different  strains,  that  the  Regulations 
had  been  beneficial,  and  suggested  still  more  stringent  repressive 
measures. 

Dr.  Buchanan  published  a  remarkable  book,  the  account  of 
his  survey  of  certain  districts  in  1807  and  1814.  He  remarks, 
that  the  use  of  liquor  was  very  common,  but  that  actual  drunken- 
ness was  less  prevalent :  he  mentions,  that  in  one  district  the 
Mahometans  were  in  the  habit  of  drinking  :  he  mentions  that 
women  used  spirituous  liquor,  and  that  on  the  frontier  of  the 
Company's  territory  liquor  was  smuggled  in  from  the  Native 
States  free  from  duty,  and  therefore  sold  cheaper.  It  will  be 
gathered  from  the  above,  that  the  habit  was  anterior  to,  in- 
dependent of,  and  in  defiance  of,  the  Regulations  of  the  early 
British  administrators,  and  it  must  be  remembered,  that  since 
1790  the  population  has  doubled,  the  area  of  cultivation  has 
been  enormously  extended,  roads  opened  out,  new  products 
introduced,  and  the  great  Pax  Britannica  has  made  Bangal  one 
of  the  most  thickly  populous,  wealthy,  and  flourishing  countries 
in  the  world.  The  great  Provinces  of  the  North-West  Provinces, 
and  the  Panjab,  naturally  followed  the  Bangal  system  :  the 
minor  Provinces  of  Assam,  the  Central  Provinces  and  Barma 
followed  in  the  same  track,  while  Madras  and  Bombay 
developed  their  system  in  their  own  way,  but  on  the  same  lines, 
following  the  same  principles,  having  the  same  object  in  view, 
not  the  enhancement  of  the  Revenue  of  the  State  by  pandering 
to  the  base  passions  of  the  people,  but  by  the  steady  system  of 
repression  and  control,  and  an  enhancement  of  the  duty  up  to 
that  point,  which  would  make  smuggling  with  all  its  risks 
profitable. 

I  must  here  make  a  remark,  that  th^  speakers  have  forgotten  one 
element  in  the  discussion,  an  element  however  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance, that  is,  the  existence  of  the  Covenanted  Civil  Service, 


(     145     ) 

with  entire  control  over  every  part  of  the  Administrative  Machine, 
in  every  partof  British  India,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest.  Every 
five  years  a  statesman  of  the  highest  mark  has  been  sent  out  as 
Governor-General,  and  since  i858asViceroy,  and  two  eminent  men 
are  sent  out  as  Governors  of  INIadras  and  Bombay,  and  Military 
men  as  Commanders-in-Chief,  and  a  lawyer  for  the  Legislative 
Council  of  the  Viceroy ;  but  with  these  exceptions  every  post 
is  held  by  a  Member  of  the  Covenanted  Civil  Service,  supple- 
mented in  some  parts  of  the  country  .by  Military  men,  who  for 
the  time  being  become  Civilians:  the  real  power,  and  the  entire 
knowledge  of  Revenue  subjects,  rests  with  them :  and  the 
Councillors,  who  sit  by  the  side  of  the  Viceroy,  have  risen 
up  step  by  step  in  every  grade  of  the  Service,  and  know  every 
detail :  there  is  no  room  for  half-knowledge  with  them ;  if 
there  is  a  blot  in  the  working  of  the  Excise  system,  they  know 
it :  if  the  measures  of  Government  lead  to  increased  consump- 
tion of  liquor  either  by  express  design,  or  by  the  unfortunate 
nature  of  the  case,  they  know  it.  Now  one  feature  of  this 
great  Covenanted  Service  is  its  independence  of  character, 
sense  of  responsibility,  and  outspokenness :  there  have  been 
Civilians,  who  in  times  past  have  refused  to  obey  the  orders 
of  Government  to  pay  the  Brahmans  to  pray  for  rain  during 
a  drought,  have  refused  to  administer  the  affairs  of  a  Heathen 
Temple,  have  asserted  their  right  to  attend  the  Baptisms  of 
Native  Converts,  and  justified  it  in  such  a  way,  when  called 
upon  for  explanation,  that  the  Viceroy  has  admitted  the  right. 
By  the  practice  of  the  Indian  Administration  a  remonstrance 
against  an  order  is  permitted,  and  it  is  notorious,  how  difficult 
some  men  have  proved  themselves  to  be,  till  at  last  it  has  come 
to  the  alternative  of  obeying  or  resigning :  but  I  do  assert,  that, 
if  the  Viceroy  or  Council  had  ordered,  as  suggested  by  Mr. 
Samuel  Smith,  that,  to  make  up  a  deficiency  in  the  Budget, 
encouragement  should  be  given  to  the  sale  of  liquors  and 
drugs,  he  could  not  have  been  obeyed :  such  an  order  tiever  has  been, 
and  never  couhi  be  issued.  I  have  myself  filled  the  post  of  Col- 
lector of  a  District,  Revenue  Commissioner  of  a  Division,  and 
Provincial  Head  of  the  Revenue  Department,  both  in  the  North- 
West  Province,  and  the  Panjab,  and  I  unhesitatingly  say  that, 
had  such  an  order  reached  me,  I  should  have  had  the  courage 
of  my  convictions,  and  not  have  conveyed  it  to  my  subordinates,  but 
should  have  recorded  such  a  protest  as  would  have  compelled 
its  rescission.  I  learnt  my  earliest  lesson  from  James  Thomason, 
the  pupil  of  Simeon,  and  matured  my  knowledge  under  John 
Lawrence,  and  I  served  under  men  of  the  type  of  Robert 
Montgomery  and  Donald  Macleod.  Does  Mr.  Samuel  Smith, 
when  he  makes  such  assertions,  consider  what  kind  of  men 
have  controlled  the  affairs  of  India  since  the  beginning  of  this 


(     146     ) 

century  from  the  time  of  Lord  Tcignmouth,  the  President  of 
the  Bible  Society,  down  to  Lord  Lawrence  and  Sir  Bartle  Frere  ? 
Nor  has  the  management  of  the  Excise  been  one  unchange- 
able system,  which  no  one  dared  to  touch,  like  a  Perpetual 
Settlement  of  the  Land  Revenue,  or  the  Capitulations,  by  which 
the  independence  of  Turkey  is  crippled.  '  On  the  contrary, 
Governor  after  Governor  has  had  his  eye  upon  it,  and  the 
practice  has  varied  from  time  to  time,  and  Province  to  Province, 
between  the  Central  State-Distillery  at  the  Head-Quarters,  and 
a  lease  of  a  certain  area  to  a  reponsible  person,  who  could  only 
open  out  stills  at  spots  approved  by  the  Collector.  The  first 
system  has  the  obvious  disadvantage,  that  it  casts  an  odium  upon 
the  Collector,  as  being  de  facto  the  head  Distiller  of  his  district. 
Many  weak,  and  imperfectly  informed,  critics  in  England  see  in 
the  Opium  Monopoly  an  aggravation  of  the  offence,  in  that  the 
State  becomes  de  facto  ih.^  Manufacturer  of  the  Drug.  This  is 
one  of  the  dilemmas,  in  the  horns  of  which  the  imperfectly 
informed  fanatical  abstainers  find  themselves :  they  desire 
vehemently  the  abolition  of  the  Monopoly  of  the  Manufacture 
of  Opium,  while  they  blame  the  Government  of  India  for  not 
rigorously  maintaining  the  Monopoly  of  the  Manufacture  of 
Spirits.  Damnant  quod  non  intelligunt.  There  is  the  obvious 
advantage,  that  by  both  the  Central  Liquor  Distillery,  and  the 
Opium  Monopoly,  the  State  officials  have  efficient  means  of 
repression,  and  can  control  the  working  of  the  machine.  The 
second  system  has  the  obvious  disadvantage  of  imperfect  control, 
and  therefore  loss  of  Excise,  and  promotion  of  undue  and  illicit 
sale.  In  1859  the  Government  of  India,  in  its  Imperial  capacity, 
pointed  out  that  on  moral,  as  tvell  as  fiscal  grounds,  the  establish- 
ment of  Central  State-Distilleries  was  advisable.  In  1883  a. 
Commission  was  appointed  for  the  Province  of  Bangal  under 
the  sanction  of  the  Government  of  India  to  consider  the  whole 
subject :  on  the  order  constituting  the  Commission  occur  the 
following  expressions : 

It  is  impossible  for  Government  to  allow  this  increase  of  drinking  to  continue, 
without  making  every  effort  to  ascertain  those  causes,  and,  if  possible,  remove 
them.  No  considerations  of  Revenue  can  be  allowed  to  outweigh  the  para- 
mount duty  of  Government  to  prevent  the  spread  of  intemperance,  so  far  as  it 
may  be  possible  to  do  so. 

These  words  were  penned  by  a  Governor,  who  knew  what  he 
was  about,  at  a  date  antecedent  to  Canon  Ellison's  Pamphlet 
of  1886,  and  Archdeacon  Farrar's  famous  thesis  of  1887.  The 
result  was  a  Report  dated  April,  1884,  in  which  the  system, 
adopted  in  the  whole  of  British  India,  is  reviewed,  and  certain 
recommendations  are  made  for  Bangal.  The  Report  was 
published  at  Calcutta  in  1884,  in  two  large  folio  volumes,  and  I 
recommend  it  as  profitable  reading  to  those,  who  desire  to  be 


(     147     ) 

something  more  than  Platform-Orators,  and  wish  to  make  a 
serious  and  solemn  study  of  the  difliculty  of  administering  the 
aftairs  of  a  great  subject  Nation,  uniting  the  maximum  of  wise 
and  gentle  control,  with  the  minimum  of  vexatious  interferences 
with  their  family  customs,  their  weddings,  and  their  gatherings, 
their  feastings  and  their  weaknesses.  Let  us  try  the  high  moral 
problem  of  Total  Abstinence  by  Act  of  Parliament,  or  Local 
Option,  first  in  the  Borough  of  Westminster  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Abbey,  before  we 'introduce  it  in  Bangal :  let  us  teach  the 
Christian  to  be  sober,  and  then  press  the  subject  on  the  Hindu 
and  Mahometan.  We  at  least  in  our  Religion  have  the  highest 
motives,  and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  help  us  in  our 
endeavours :  the  Non-Christian  world  has  nothing  but  the 
prospect  of  Earthly  advantage,  and  the  unaided  energy  of  Poor 
Humanity. 

I  now  come  to  the  Despatch  of  the  Government  of  British 
India  signed  August  4,  1887,  presented  to  Parliament  August  g, 
1887,  and  printed:  it  is  signed  by  the  Earl  of  Dufferin  the 
Viceroy,  Sir  Frederick  Roberts  the  Commander-in-Chief,  and 
five  members  of  Council,  one  of  whom  is  an  English  Barrister: 
it  contains  reports  from  the  eight  Provinces,  into  which  British 
India  is  divided :  it  is  a  document  of  the  greatest  importance, 
and  based  on  the  latest  information,  being  up  to  date.  If  we  do 
not  place  faith  in  this,  it  is  as  much  as  to  say,  "All  Anglo- 
Saxons  are  liars"  :  on  this  matter  I  have  spoken  to  one  Viceroy, 
several  ex-Governors,  and  ex-Councillors,  and  a  large  body  of 
Anglo-Indians,  who  have  retired,  and  there  is  but  one  opinion 
on  the  subject.  Some  of  the  most  earnest  Members  of  the 
Temperance  Society  admit  in  1887  the  sufficiency  of  this  reply 
to  the  Pamphlet  issued  by  the  Temperance  Society  in  1886. 

Lord  Dufferin  summarizes  the  allegations  of  that  Pamphlet 
as  follows : 

A.  The  Excise  Revenue  of  India  is  due  to  a  system,  which 
directly  leads  to  the  establishment  of  liquor-shops,  where  till 
recently  such  things  were  unknown. 

B.  The  fiscal  system  of  India,  by  affording  facilities  for  drink- 
ing in  defia7ice  of  native  opinion,  is  unhappily  spreading  misery 
and  ruin  among  many  families  of  the  industrial  class. 

C.  The  use  of  intoxicating  drinks,  which  they  believe  to  have 
been  practically  unknown  in  the  greater  part  of  India,  was 
introduced  under  British  Rule. 

The  reply  is  : 

A.  The  principle  laid  down  and  accepted  by  all  is,  that  liquor 
should  be  taxed,  and  consumption  restricted,  as  far  as  it  is 
possible  to  do  so,  without  imposing  positive  hardship  on  the 
people,  and  driving  them  to  illicit  manufactures. 

B.  The   measures   taken   have   been  completely   successful : 


(     148     ) 

the  great  increase  of  the  Excise  in  recent  years  really  represents 
much  less  liquor  sold,  and  an  infinitely  better  regulated  con- 
sumption than  the  smaller  Revenue  of  former  years. 

C.  It  is  an  error  to  suppose,  that  the  population  of  India 
were  universally  abstemious,  and  if  left  alone,  knew  nothing  of 
Intoxicating  Liquor,  and  have  been  introduced  to  it  by  the 
British  Government.  Both  the  Hindu  and  Mahometan  Reli- 
gions indeed  denounce  the  use  of  Spirits,  but  the  classes,  whose 
habits  of  life  are  framed  with  a  strict  regard  to  Religion,  and 
social  restrictions,  form  in  India  no  larger  proportion  of  the 
population  than  in  other  countries. 

D.  Nature  produces  in  great  abundance  the  material  for 
distillation  of  Spirit,  and  there  is  not  the  slightest  reason  for 
supposing,  that  in  the  days  of  Native  administration  the 
Indian  population  refrained  from  indulgence  in  a  practice, 
which  it  requires  the  constant  watchfulness  of  the  British 
administration  now  to  restrain. 

E.  The  Reports  from  the  Central  Provinces  and  Assam  show 
that  it  is  those  tribes  and  races,  which  are  least  accessible 
to  the  influence  of  British  Rule,  which  are  most  addicted  to 
intoxicating  liquors  and  drugs. 

F.  Our  Excise  system  breaks  down  on  the  frontiers  pf  Native 
States,  which  are  often  exceedingly  irregular,  the  villages  being 
intermixed,  and  not  separated  by  a  River  or  chain  of  mountains  : 
in  those  States  there  is  no  restriction  on  the  manufacture  and 
sale,  and  the  great  difficulty  is  to  exclude  untaxed  or  lightly 
taxed  liquor.  In  the  Bombay  Province  the  Excise  rights  of 
Native  States  have  been  bought  up  in  some  cases,  in  order 
that,  by  imposing  on  the  population  of  Native  States  the  same 
restriction,  they  may  maintain,  or  rather  not  violate  and  render, 
nugatory,  our  restrictive  system. 

G.  The  great  increase  in  the  Revenue,  which  is  unquestion- 
able, does  not  mark  the  extension  of  drinking  habits,  but  is 
the  result  of  a  great  and  general  increase  of  the  rate  of  tax, 
which  it  would  have  been  entirely  impossible  to  realize  but  for 
the  great  improvement  in  the  preventive  measures.  The  ability 
of  the  Excise  Department  to  prevent  illicit  distillation  is  the  only 
limit,  which  is  imposed  in  practice  to  increase  the  rate  of  taxation. 

H.  The  object  of  the  Excise  Department  is  to  tax  every 
gallon  of  spirits,  first  by  a  fixed  still-head  duty,  which  is 
regulated  at  the  discretion  of  the  Government,  and  secondly- 
by  a  licence  fee  for  retail  sale,  which  is  usuall}'  determined 
by  competition  for  the  privilege  of  sale.  The  system  of  out- 
stills  is  obsolete,  except  in  scantily  inhabited  tracts,  and  the 
borders  of  Native  States,  where  the  Collector  has  no  alternative 
betwixt  letting  liquor  be  distilled  untaxed,  or  make  this  kind 
of  arrangement. 


(     149     ) 

I  doubt  whether  many  persons  in  England  know  what  an 
out-still  is.  I  can  only  lay  before  them  an  analogy  from 
Great  Britain.  Supposing  that  the  State  were  to  undertake 
the  manufacture  of  Beer  and  Spirits  in  great  central  places, 
and  to  license  Public  Houses  for  the  Sale  of  the  State 
Monopoly  liquors,  there  would  be  still  wild  corners  in  England, 
Ireland  and  Scotland,  where  the  facility  of  smuggling  would 
be  such,  that  the  only  possible  check  would  be  the  establish- 
ment of  private  distilleries  under  all  possible  safeguards  in 
such  places.  It  would  be  a  measure  of  control  and  restriction, 
not  of  expansion.  Moreover,  the  out-still  in  India  (as  in  the 
above  analogy  in  Great  Britain,  the  private  distillery)  is  not 
allowed  to  manufacture  as  much  liquor  as  its  owner  likes,  and  to 
sell  it  wherever  he  likes.  "  The  duty  is  levied  upon  a  strict 
"  calculation  of  the  number  of  gallons,  which  the  still  can 
"  produce,  and  the  conditions  both  of  distillation  and  sale  are 
"  carefully  regulated  with  reference  to  the  ex/sh'ng"  (not  the 
prospective  or  possible)  "  demand."  Shops  are  established  in 
the  localities  chosen  by  the  Collector,  and  not  at  the  discretion 
of  the  Distiller,  and  the  Police  and  the  Municipal  authorities 
are  consulted  on  the  subject.  I  am  in  the  habit  of  assisting 
annually  in  the  grant  of  licences  in  Westminster  and  Kensington 
to  Publicans,  and  I  doubt,  whether  so  much  power  of  control 
and  restraint  of  undue  opportunities  for  the  sale  of  liquor  exists 
in  London  as  in  Lahore  and  Allahabad. 

The  average  consumption  in  India  is  only  one  bottle,  or  one 
bottle  and  a  half,  of  spirits  a  year  for  each  adult  male,  and  in  some 
provinces  less  than  that ;  it  is  clear  that  the  terms  "  drunken- 
ness," "drinking  classes,"  and  "  spread  of  drinking"  bear  a 
meaning  wholly  different  in  India  and  Britain.  Could  we  but 
reduce  the  consumption  of  London  to  that  standard,  how  glad 
would  be  the  hearts  of  the  Temperance  Societies  1 

The  vast  increase  of  the  population  of  British  India  is  one  of 
the  great  administrative  problems  of  the  age.  The  sword,  the 
famine,  and  the  pestilence  have  been  the  usual  depletors  of 
Oriental  countries :  the  first  has  ceased  absolutely :  the  last  two 
are  guarded  against  in  every  way,  that  Science  and  Benevolence 
can  suggest,  and  can  it  enter  into  the  minds  of  good  men  to 
suppose,  that  a  Government,  which  spends  Millions  to  stay 
a  famine,  the  results  of  operations  beyond  its  control,  would 
insidiously  and  deliberately  for  a  smaller  amount  of  Revenue 
poison  the  bodies  and  souls  of  its  subjects  ?  Would  any  free 
honest  man  wish  to  be  enrolled  in  Her  Majesty  the  Empress 
of  India's  Civil  Service,  if  it  were  as  infamous  as  Mr.  Samuel 
Smith  describes  it  ?     I  quote  his  very  words  : 

The  wants  of  ike  Exchequer  in  that  country  are  so  urgeiit,  and  it  is  so  easy  to 
bring  in  Revenue  from  tiie  increased  sale  of  drink,  that   the  temptation  is 


(     ISO     ) 

irresistible  to  £0  on  licensing  more  drink-shops.  Native  opinion  is  utterly 
opposed  to  it.  The  leading  Castes  o[  \he  Hindu  and  all  the  Mahometans  are 
by  custom  and  religion  total  abstainers,  but  many  of  them  have  been  corrupted 
by  our  influence  and  example,  and  not  a  few  of  the  princes  and  leading  natives 
of  India  have  drunk  themselves  to  death. 

Another  class  of  imperfectly  informed  critics  run  wild  on  the 
idea,  that  the  famines  of  India  are  caused  by  the  large  area 
given  over  to  the  production  of  drugs,  and  liquor,  and  on  which 
cereals  could  be  grown  :  are  they  aware  that,  owing  to  the 
enormous  additional  area  of  cultivation  during  the  great  Pax 
Britannica,  the  price  of  cereals  has  fallen  to  such  an  extent,  that 
wheat  can  be  exported  from  Central  or  Northern  India  with 
profit  to  Great  Britain,  to  compete  with  the  cereals  of  the  Black 
Sea,  and  America  ? 

The  problem  is  a  much  more  difficult  one  than  unimperfectly 
informed  critics  at  home  think  :  if  it  is  supposed,  that  a  mere 
order  of  an  alien  Government  to  a  vast  native  population  can 
change  their  moral  habits,  it  is  a  wild  dream.  We  can  put 
down  the  burning  of  widows,  or  the  burying  alive  of  lepers, 
because  such  isolated  facts  become  notorious ;  but  we  wage  an 
unequal  war  against  the  practice  of  daughter-killing,  as  the 
Police  cannot  prepare  lists  of  pregnant  women,  and  assist  at 
every  birth  in  the  recesses  of  the  Native  House.  We  could  not 
absolutely  suppress  the  use  of  private  stills,  when  Nature  has 
been  so  prolific  in  her  gifts  of  inebriating  materials :  the  only 
way  is  to  regulate  the  manufacture,  tax  the  produce,  and  license 
the  distributors,  and  I  do  conscientiously  maintain,  that  for  the 
last  century  the  intelligence  of  three  generations  of  honest  and 
upright  men  has  been  taxed  to  effect  this.  The  Native  Army 
is  proverbially  sober.  I  wish  that  I  could  say  the  same  of  the 
British  soldier;  and  yet  one  of  Mr.  Caine's  most  bitter  sarcasms 
is,  that  the 

Indian  Government  will  not  allow  liquor  to  be  sold  to  European  Soldiers, 
but  it  may  be  sold  to  a  child  thirteen  years  of  age. 

Does  Mr.  Caine  reflect,  that  it  costs  many  hundred  Pounds  to 
deliver  each  of  our  brave  soldiers  at  their  Cantonments  in  the 
Panjab,  that  it  has  cost  many  thousand  pounds  to  house  him, 
and  keep  him  comfortable,  well,  happy,  and  ready:  and  yet 
Tommy  Atkins  is  more  thoughtless  of  his  own  life  and  his  own 
precious  soul  than  any  Native  child  aged  thirteen,  who  probably 
at  that  age,  if  a  female,  would  be  a  wife  and  a  mother,  and  care 
very  little  for  strong  drink,  or  have  any  chance  of  getting  it. 
On  the  borders  of  our  large  Cantonments  hover  scoundrels  with 
jars  of  illicit  drink,  and  immodest  women,  to  tempt  the  soldier 
to  disobey  the  orders  of  his  Captain,  and  the  Great  Captain  of 
his  Salvation  ;  and  is  the  Government  to  be  sneered  at,  because 
it  provides  for  its  brave  but  thoughtless  soldiers  a  protection, 


(     151     ) 

■which    is   not   needed    for  the  gamin  of  the  streets,  who  has 
neither  a  pice  in  his  pocket,  nor  a  pocl^et  to  put  it  in,  if  he  had 
it  ?     It  is  lamentable  to  hear   such    statements    cheered    by   a 
fanatical  audience.     Do  they  wish  our  soldiers  to  be  exposed  to 
temptations,  from  which  we  can  protect  them  partially  ?     Can 
Mr.  Caine's  fertile  imagination  suggest  any  Police  organization, 
by  which  a  juvenile   population,  male  and   female,  exceeding 
thirty  Millions,  can  be  protected   from  a  danger,  to  which  they 
are  not  exposed  ?  for  among  all  the  exaggerated  statements  it  is 
not  alleged,  that  children  of  tender- years,  have  taken  to  drunken- 
ness.    Duh'p  Singh  was  indeed  drunk  at   six  years  old,  but  he 
was  an  independent  Sovereign.      Nor  do  I  read  in  the  Police 
returns  of  India  of  any  number  of  men  and  women  brought  up 
for  being  drunk  in  the  streets  as  in  London.     Are  the  Lunatic 
Asylums  crowded   with   the  insane,  of  whom  twenty  per  cent, 
brought  on  their  malady  by  drink,  as  in  Middlesex  ?     Are  the 
Indian    Bankruptcy  Courts,   or    the   Indian    Registrars'  Annals, 
stained  with  the  words,  so  frequent  in   Great  Britain,  "  Drank 
himself,   or    herself,    to  death."      But    that   the    subject  is  so 
awfully  serious,  it  would  seem  to  be  an  indecorous  pleasantry  on 
the  part  of  the  Prince's   Hall   orators,   to  put  forward  charges 
so   ridiculous,  and  so  unfounded,  and  thus  draw  a   false  scent 
across  the  path  of  the  earnest  Missionary  Societies,  who  were 
planning  to  protect  Africa  from  European  liquors.     From  the 
day   of    those    ill-omened    speeches,    a   Committee,    in   which 
British,  German,  and  American  Missionaries  were  united  in  a 
truthful  and  holy  work,  has  been  suspended,  as  it  was  impossible 
to  carry  on  operations  with  those,  who  neither  weighed  their 
words,  nor  tested  their  facts. 

I  now  proceed  to  quote  from  the  Reports  of  each  of  the  eight 
Provinces  of  British  India.     Bombay  is  first  on  the  list. 

In  consequence  of  the  relaxation  of  religious  and  Caste  rule,  it  is  probable 
that  intoxicating  liquor  is  now  often  used  in  secret  by  classes,  who  formerly 
abstained.     Habitual  drunkenness  in  the  English  sense  of  the  word  is  rare. 

A  strike  took  place  in  the  Districts  of  Thana  and  Kolaba.  It  was  quoted 
in  the  House  of  Commons  as  a  movement  among  the  population  in  favour  of 
total  abstinence  from  strong  drink.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  was  a  strike  of  the 
drinking  classes,  made  with  the  sole  object  of  inducing  the  Government  to 
reduce  the  tax  on  the  Tari  Palm,  and  thus  make  liquor  cheaper.  The  strikers 
were  not  able  to  iuaintain  their  7-esolntions  of  ahsliiience. 

As  far  back  as  1838  the  Government  of  Bombay  issued  the 
following  order  : 

It  cannot  be  too  strongly  urged  upon  the  Collectors,  that  the  object,  which 
the  Government  has  in  view,  is  to  restrict,  and  if  possible  correct,  and  diminish, 
the  total  actual  consumption  of  spirituous  liquors,  whether  clandestine  or 
licensed,  being  fully  persuaded,  that  any  amount  of  Revenue,  that  may  be  lost 
by  the  efficiency  of  the  system  for  this  end,  will  be  repaid  a  hundredfold  in  the 
preservation  and  advancement  of  moral  feeling  and  industrious  habits  among 
the  people. 


(       152       ) 

In  1843  we  find  the  following  Resolution  of  the  Government 
of  Bombay : 

The  Governor  in  Council  entirely  concurs  in  the  views  expressed  by  the 
Collector  on  the  subject  of  the  Revenue  derived  from  the  sale  of  spirituous 
liquors.  Were  it  possible  altogether  to  abolish  the  use  of  spirits,  the  loss  to 
the  Revenue  would  be  a  matter  of  trifling  consideration,  but  this  is  obviously 
impossible,  and  the  object  of  Government  must  be,  by  enhancing  the  price  and 
imposing  salutary  restrictions  on  the  sale,  to  check  the  evil  as  far  as  is  in  its 
power,  while  at  the  same  time  it  draws  a  Revenue  from  the  use  of  a  luxury, 
which  it  cannot  prohibit.  Tlie  regulation  of  this  Branch  cannot  be  effected 
but  by  the  agency  of  farmers,  and  the  farmers  should  be  carefully  selected,  not 
from  those,  who  may  bid  the  highest,  and  thus  be  induced  to  resort  to  every 
possible  means  of  increasing  the  consumption,  but  from  those  who,  though  they 
may  offer  less  for  the  farms,  bear  good  characters  and  will  content  themselves 
with  a  fair  profit  without  adopting  undue  methods  of  attracting  customers  to 
their  shops.  New  shops  should  not  be  established  without  express  permission, 
and  then  only  in  places,  where  clandestine  sale  may  be  carried  on,  which  open 
and  authorized  sale  will  tend  to  check.  The  Collector  should  bear  these 
remarks  in  mind  in  all  his  arrangements  relative  to  the  Excise. 

In  1884.  the  Government  of  Bombay  recorded  the  following 
resolution  : 

Government  would  willingly  relinquish  all  Revenue  from  this  source,  could 
it  thereby  abate  the  increasing  vice  of  drunkenness  :  this,  however,  being 
impracticable,  the  next  object  of  Government  is  to  check  it  by  enhancing  the 
price  of  intoxicating  liquors. 

In  the  Report  of  the  Customs  administration  of  1884-85  we 
come  face  to  face  with  the  real  "  bete  noire,"  the  import  of 
Potable  Spirits  by  sea  through  the  agency  of  European  and 
American  Merchants.  Under  the  principles  of  Free  Trade  such 
wares  cannot  be  excluded :  the  total  import  amounted  at  this 
one  Port  to  210,1  ig  Proof  Gallons;  53  per  cent,  of  Brandy^ 
32'  per  cent,  of  Whisky,  6  per  cent,  of  Old  Tom,  and  9  per 
cent,  of  Rum :  the  Brandy  was  both  in  wood  and  bottles.  No 
licensee  of  Native  liquor  is  allowed  to  sell  foreign  liquor,  and 
vice  versa.  The  licensee  of  foreign  liquors,  finding  that  the 
superior  and  expensive  Spirit  was  too  expensive  for  the  natives 
of  the  lower  classes,  who  frequent  their  shops,  had  to  seek  for 
a  foreign  liquor,  which  might  prove  as  attractive,  while  cheaper 
than  Spirit.  They  tried  Spirits  of  wine,  which,  though  of 
country  manufacture,  was  allowed  to  be  sold  with  foreign 
liquors,  the  duty  being  the  same:  it  was  found,  that  its  strength 
could  not  be  reduced  sufficiently  to  lower  its  price  to  the  extent 
necessary,  and  at  the  same  time  satisfy  the  consumer.  Rum 
was  therefore  tried,  and  has  been  found  to  suit  the  tastes  and 
pockets  of  the  consumer.  The  whole  is  imported  from  Mauritius, 
a  British  Colony,  but  the  strength  is  reduced.  Here  is  indeed 
a  frightful  evil,  which  has  lately  come  into  existence;  but  it  is 
difficult  to  blame  the  Government  of  India  :  the  sin  lies  at  the 


(     153    ) 

door  of   the  British  Merchant  and  Manufacturer,  and  it  is  a 
grievous  sin. 

Let  us  see  what  the  Government  of  Madras  says : 

The  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  is  just  as  much  a  trade  as  that  of  any  other 
kind  of  commodity,  but  there  is  this  great  difference,  that,  while  the  sale  of  a 
necessary  of  life,  like  bread,  need  not  be  interfered  with  or  regulated  in  any 
way,  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors,  if  left  to  the  unfettered  operation  of  free 
trade,  involves  an  enormous  amount  of  drunkenness  and  crime,  and  therefore 
calls  for  regulation  at  the  hands  of  any  Government  with  any  pretence  to 
civilization.  The  policy,  which  the  Government  has  announced,  of  endeavour- 
ing to  realize  the  maxi»nii)i  Revenue  from  a  miniinwn  consumption,  though 
perhaps  involving,  in  its  strict  interpretation,  a  verbal  contradiction  in  terms, 
yet  expresses  with  sufficient  force  and  clearness  what  we  consider  the  right 
course  to  pursue.  It  is,  however,  to  be  observed,  that,  while  all  taxation 
becomes  Revenue,  as  soon  as  it  reaches  the  public  exchequer,  yet  it  should 
always  be  borne  in  mind  in  connection  with  the  taxation  derived  from  the  sale 
of  intoxicating  liquors,  that  it  is  imposed  primarily  in  order  to  restrain  the  con- 
sumption of  such  liquors,  and  not  for  the  purpose  of  making  money  out  of 
their  sale,  and  that  the  fact  of  the  Revenue  so  derived  being  large  is  merely  an 
incident  arising  from  two  causes  :  (l)  The  determination  of  the  Government 
to  do  all  that  lies  in  its  power  to  repress  a  baneful  trade  in  what  is  not  a 
necessary  of  life  ;  (2)  The  general  prosperity  of  the  people,  which  enables 
them  to  spend  on  the  indulgence  of  a  vicious  propensity  money,  which  might 
be  better  expended  or  invested.  It  follows,  that  every  right-feeling  Government 
will  do  all  that  it  can  to  increase  the  taxation  up  to  that  point,  when  the  people, 
rather  than  pay  for  the  high  price  liquor,  which  alone  can  be  had  in  licensed 
shops,  will  take  to  illicit  smuggling  and  distillation. 

Such  to  the  best  of  my  belief  have  ever  been  the  principles 
of  the  Government  of  India.  Such  they  were,  when  I  learned 
my  first  lesson  forty  years  ago,  and  such  it  is  still. 

The  great  Province  of  Bangal,  with  its  sixty-six  million 
inhabitants,  twenty  of  whom  are  Mahometan,  comes  next.  A 
Commission  had  been  appointed  to  go  into  the  subject  in 
1883,  and  on  the  loth  of  March  the  orders  of  Government 
were  issued. 

A.  The  introduction,  whenever  opportunities  of  supervision 
existed,  of  the  Central  Distillery,  and  Still-head  Duty.  B.  The 
regulation  in  other  places  of  the  out-stills,  so  that  the  minimum 
licence  price  should  be  the  amount  of  duty  calculated  upon 
the  capacity  of  production.  C.  Reduction  in  the  number  of 
shops,  and  certain  restrictions  on  sales.  In  the  year  1885-86 
the  Net  Revenue  from  liquor  and  drugs  of  all  kinds  amounted 
to  ^927,000,  less  than  a  million.  In  the  same  year  Great 
Britain  levied  from  a  population  of  Christians  of  less  than 
half  the  amount  a  very  much  larger  sum  with  their  own  consent, 
in  a  country,  where  the  laws  are  passed  by  a  Democratic 
Parliament. 

The  printed  Report  of  this  Commission  gives  us  some  side 
lights  on  this  state  of  affairs.  In  1874  the  Government  was 
petitioned  on  the  subject  of  the  increase   of  drinking,   more 


(     154     ) 

particularly  of  the  upper  class,  by  Christians  and  Hindus,  and 
Babu  Keshab  Chandra  Sen,  the  celebrated  leader  of  the  Brah- 
moists.  The  minute,  which  was  recorded  by  a  Member  of 
the  Board  of  Revenue  upon  that  petition,  contains  much  that 
is  worthy  of  remark. 

He  agrees  with  the  petitioners,  that  drinking  has  increased,  especially  in 
towns  and  among  the  higher  class,  but  he  disputes  the  assertion,  that  the  action 
of  Government  can  arrest  it  :  he  denies  that  Government  has  ever  wilfully 
preferred  considerations  of  Revenue  to  the  welfare  of  the  people,  but  admits 
administrative  failure,  and  mistaken  zeal  of  native  officials.  There  is  no 
manner  of  doubt,  that  intemperance  among  the  higher  classes  radiates  from 
Calcutta,  as  from  a  central  focus,  the  habit  is  most  prevalent  in  Districts  nearest 
to  the  Metropolis,  and  the  opinion  is  prevalent,  that  intemperance  naturally 
Jollffws  an  English  Education.  The  restraint  of  Caste- Rules,  and  dictates  of 
the  Hindu  and  Mahometan  Religious  books,  lose  their  hold  on  the  conscience 
of  those,  who  come  under  Education,  and  the  sad  result  must  be  debited  to  the 
Schoolmaster  rather  than  the  Excise  Officer.  A  medical  man  records  his 
opinion,  that  the  demoralizing  habit  of  private  drinking  is  indulged  in  by  nearly 
nine-tenths  of  the  Bangali  students.  A  vendor  of  Brandy  remarked,  that 
native  gentlemen,  who  could  speak  English,  acquire  a  taste  for  brandy  with 
the  language.  The  quantity  of  intoxicating  liquor  drunk  on  holidays  is 
incredible.  Patients  describe  to  their  Doctor  their  powers  of  drinking.  A 
Mahometan  member  of  the  writer  caste  stated,  that  he  had  finished  a  bottle  of 
brandy,  and  three  bottles  of  beer,  at  an  evening  sitting.  A  Hindu  member 
of  the  writer-caste  stated,  that  he  had  swallowed  a  bottle  of  brandy  almost  at 
a  draught. 

It  is  distinctly  recorded,  that  the  upper  classes  do  not  resort 
to  the  shops  licensed  by  the  Excise,  nor  do  they  consume 
Native  spirit :  but  they  drink  in  the  privacy  of  their  homes 
liquor  imported  from  Europe  :  against  this  evil  the  Government 
is  impotent :  the  duty  cannot  be  raised  high  enough  on 
imported  spirits  so  as  to  be  prohibitory  without  raising  an 
outcry  on  the  part  of  the  European  residents  all  over  British 
India,  who  with  very  rare  exceptions  are  exceedingly  temperate 
as  a  class,  and  yet  would  not  submit  to  be  debarred  from  the 
use  of  liquor,  to  which  they  are  accustomed.  It  is  added,  that 
the  native  spirit  of  Bangal  is  a  weak  spirit :  drunkenness  is 
exceptional :  and  there  is  no  necessary  connection  betwixt 
drunkenness  and  crime.  Dacoits,  or  hereditary  robbers,  usually 
drink  but  moderately,  and  in  the  course  of  worship  to  their 
patron  Deity ;  the  most  celebrated  Dacoit,  whom  the  Head 
of  the  Police  ever  knew,  was  a  total  abstainer  :  on  the  other 
hand,  common  burglars,  and  petty  thieves,  were  in  a  constant 
state  of  half-stupefaction  from  drugs.  It  is  mere  foolishness  to 
expect,  that  a  certain  proportion  of  the  population  will  not 
contrive  to  use  stimulants,  or  that  the  Excise  Revenue  will  not 
increase.  As  the  upper  classes  adopt  more  and  more  European 
habits,  we  must  expect  to  see  them  take  the  bad  with  the  good, 
and  probably  more  of  the  bad  than  the  good  :  all  that  the 
Government  can  do  is  to  supply  the  demand,  bill  not  create  it, 


.  (     155    ) 

and  to  act  on  an  honest  recognition  of  the  truth,  that  the  Excise 
Revenue  is  a  very  small  matter  in  comparison  with  the  comfort 
and  well-being  of  the  people. 

There  is  little  doubt,  that  in  this  Province  there  was  a  short 
period  of  mistakes  and  retrograde  policy  adopted,  but  it  has  been 
promptly  corrected,  and  is  not  likely  to  recur  after  the  close 
investigation  made  by  the  Commission,  and  the  scorching  light 
now  thrown  upon  the  whole  subject. 

I  treat  the  two  great  Provinces  of  the  North-West  Provinces 
and  the  Panjab  together.  A  friend  drew  my  attention  to  a 
passage  in  the  Pall  Mall  Gazette,  dated  March  30,  1887,  with 
a  view  of  consoling  my  spirit  and  stopping  my  mouth  : 

It  is  not  an  indispensable  part  of  our  Imperial  System.  Proof  is  afforded  by 
the  fact,  that  the  corrupt  system  of  Excise  has  not  been  adopted  in  the  North- 
West  Provinces  and  the  Panjab,  and  the  temptation  to  increase  the  Revenue 
has  not  yet  constrained  the  Local  Government  to  sacrifice  the  morality  of  the 
people  to  the  interests  of  the  Exchequer. 

These  were  my  two  Provinces,  in  which  I  commenced  and 
finished  my  service,  having  been  chief  Revenue  Officer  in  both, 
and  I  maintain,  that  the  quotations  made  from  the  Records 
of  the  Government  of  Bombay  and  Madras,  of  which  Provinces 
I  know  personally  nothing,  represent  exactly  the  great  principles, 
upon  which  we  have  always  acted  in  the  two  Northern  Provinces 
of  India,  which  teem  with  Sugar  and  Hemp,  and  in  one  of 
which  the  Mohwa  or  Bassia  latifolia  drops  its  insidious  leaves 
into  the  very  Courtyards  of  the  houses  :  there  is  less  of  rice, 
and  palm  trees,  and  a  very  slight  growth  of  poppy,  but  cereals 
to  any  amount. 

A  Mr.  J.  Gregson,  a  Temperance  Missionary,  whose  state- 
ments with  regard  to  events  in  Kolaba,  in  the  Bombay  Province, 
have  been  (page  151)  shown  not  to  be  entirely  exact  (to  state 
the  case  mildly),  tells  a  startling  fact  with  regard  to  the  Panjab  : 

That  there  was  one  Raja  in  the  Panjab,  who  built  and  endowed  Churches, 
and  Mission  buildings,  a)id  died  of  delirium  tremens  :  the  man  was  but  an 
exaggerated  type  of  what  a  Christianized  Indian  threatens  to  become. 

This  is  a  frightful  statement,  and  involves  the  character  of 
Missionary  Societies,  as  well  as  the  Raja.  I  have  had  personal 
acquaintance  with  all  the  Rajas  of  the  JPanjab,  and  their  Fathers 
and  Grandfathers,  but  the  statement  seems  incredible.  As  this 
paper  has  been  reprinted  in  the  Calcutta  Review,  the  name  of 
this  Church-building  and  intoxicated  Raja  will  transpire. 
In  justice  to  the  two  Provinces,  the  population  of  which  is  very 
dear  to  me,  as  I  have  visited  every  District  of  this  vast  Region, 
and  lived  for  many  years  in  personal  contact  with  people  of  every 
class  from  the  Raja  down  to  the  village-watchman,  I  am  glad 
to  record  the  following  facts.      The  population  of  the  North- 


(     156    ) 

West  Provinces  exceeds  twenty-two  IMillions  both  Hindu  and 
Mahometan,  and  their  annual  consumption  averages  one  pijit  for 
every  adult  male.  The  population  of  the  Panjab  amounts  to 
nearly  nineteen  IMillions,  both  Hindu  and  Mahometan,  and 
their  annual  consumption  gives  only  a  quarter  of  a  pint  for  every 
adult  male. 

O  Noctes  coenseque  Deum  ! 

This  is  a  most  beggarly  allowance  for  races,  who  supply  nearly 
all  our  Sepahis,  and  are  as  tall  and  strong  as  Englishmen :  and 
no  allowance  is  made  for  the  possible,  though  improbable, 
consumption  of  liquors  by  one  single  woman,  or  those  lads  of 
thirteen  years  old,  round  whose  tendencies  Mr.  Caine  rails  at 
the  Government  for  having  placed  no  protection,  and  it  is  within 
this  vast  Region,  that  the  bulk  of  the  British  Army  is  cantoned, 
and  their  quota  of  drink  must  be  allowed  for  in  the  average. 
Fortunately  for  these  happy  races  the  European  trader  with  his 
liquid  poison  of  Whisky,  Rum.  Brandy  and  Old  Tom,  has  not 
as  yet  got  a  firm  footing;  but  the  march  of  civilization  and 
English  Education  will  surely  bring  this  evil,  and  corrupt  the 
moderate  habits  of  my  dear  Panjab  friends,  who  are  content 
with  an  annual  quarter  of  a  pint  of  Native  liquor.  Oh  I  that 
I  were  back  in  their  midst  to  tell  them,  how  that  Henry  and 
John  Lawrence  and  Montgomery,  Macleod,  Herbert  Edwardes 
and  myself,  were  charged  in  England  with  having  introduced 
(for  we  were  the  very  first  Europeans  whom  they  saw)  among 
them  such  vicious  and  intemperate  habits,  habits  not  alluded 
to  in  the  Veda,  the  Ramavana,  and  the  INIahabharata,  and  all 
their  ancient  books  :  habits  never  practised  by  Ranji't  Singh, 
and  his  Courtiers,  and  the  great  Chiefs  of  the  Khalsa  :  how 
the  honest  old  citizens  and  greybeards  would  laugh  to  think, 
that  their  old  friends  had  led  them  so  far  down  the  abyss  of 
intemperance,  and  misery,  as  to  drink  an  annual  quarter  of  a 
pint  of  their  nasty  decoction  of  hemp,  sugar,  or  poppy-juice, 
while  at  that  period  old  Clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England 
drank  daily  three  glasses  of  port.  INIoreover,  the  Panjab  is  a 
Province  thoroughly  in  hand,  with  every  acre  of  land  surveyed, 
and  every  man,  woman  and  child  counted  in  the  Census,  and 
has  the  inestimable  advantage  of  being  one  thousand  miles 
from  the  nearest  seaport.  But  a  IMissionary  of  the  Panjab 
informs  me  that  in  Lahore,  and  some  large  towns,  liquor-shops 
for  European  liquors  have  largely  increased  :  so  the  deadly 
poison  is  spreading. 

In  addition  to  the  five  great  Provinces  of  British  India,  with 
their  teeming  populations,  and  independent  Constitutions,  there 
are  three  smaller  Provinces,  Assam,  the  Central  Provinces,  and 
Barma :  they  have  been  less  influenced  by  British  civilization  : 


(     157    ) 

the  population  is  chiefly  Non-Arian,  backward  in  culture,  diffi- 
cult of  access.  In  Barma  we  find  ourselves  in  entirely  difterent 
environments  :  the  people  are  Buddhists  :  in  some  of  the  remote 
valleys  the  practice  of  opium-smoking,  so  entirely  unknown  in 
India,  prevails.  Lower  Barma  has  been  under  British  control 
for  many  years :  the  kingdom  of  Barma  is  a  new  annexation  : 
the  whole  state  of  affairs  is  abnormal,  and  there  was  clearly  a 
few  years  ago  a  great  neglect  of  the  established  principles  of  the 
Indian  Government  in  the  Excise  arrangements.  There  are  no 
roads,  and  the  means  of  communication  are  difficult :  the  popu- 
lation is  sparse,  and  heavy  jungles  facilitate  illicit  stills.  In  the 
Seaports,  on  the  other  hand,  European  strong  drinks  are  easily 
to  be  obtained.  On  the  whole,  this  Province  will  be  for  years 
to  come  an  anxious  charge.  In  the  Administration  Report  for 
1885-86  it  is  noted,  that  the  Excise  Revenue  is  declining,  that 
there  are  only  seventeen  shops  in  the  whole  of  the  Province  for 
the  sale  of  opium,  and  that  increased  smuggling  was  the  result. 
In  the  Central  Provinces  the  Chief  Commissioner  reports, 
that  he  has  always  been  careful  not  to  countenance  any  measures 
calculated  to  create  or  foster  a  taste  for  spirits.  I  quote  the 
following : 

As  to  the  habits  of  the  people  in  the  matter  of  drinking,  it  is  of  course  true, 
that,  in  accordance  with  their  rehgious  sentiments,  Hindus  of  certain  of  the 
higher  Castes  and  Mahometans  do,  as  a  body,  abjure  drink,  but  in  these 
Provinces  these  classes  form  but  a  small  portion  of  the  total  population.  We 
have  here,  in  a  country,  much  of  which  is  wild  and  hilly  and  covered  with  long 
stretches  of  forest,  a  large  aboriginal  population,  and  in  certain  parts  of  the 
Province  large  numbers  of  persons  of  the  lowest  Castes,  who  with  their  fore- 
fathers have  always  been  accustomed  to  the  use  of  liquor  made  from  the  flower 
of  the  Mohwa  tree.  This  tree  grows  abundantly  all  over  the  Central  Provinces, 
and  the  process,  by  which  spirit  is  distilled  from  the  Mohwa  flower  in  the 
wilder  parts  of  the  country,  is  of  the  simplest  character  ;  a  couple  of  earthen 
pots,  and  a  piece  of  hollow  bambu  to  form  a  tube,  constituting  the  distiller's 
apparatus.  There  is  not  a  district  in  some  portion  of  which  spirit  cannot  under 
these  circumstances  be  distilled  illicitly  without  much  fear  of  detection,  and 
experience  has  proved  most  convincingly,  that  unless  the  inherited  taste  of 
these  people  for  this  stimulant  is  satisfied  by  the  establishment  within  their  reach 
of  shops,  where  they  can  buy  taxed  spirit,  they  will  resort  to  illicit  distillation, 
and  render  themselves  liable  to  the  penalties  of  the  Revenue-law.  It  would  be 
useless,  even  if  it  were  expedient,  to  attempt  to  suppress  consumption  by 
refusing  to  license  shops.  Smuggling  and  its  demoralizing  effects,  prosecutions 
and  heavy  penalties,  would,  under  the  conditions  of  these  Provinces,  be  the 
inevitable  result.  The  wisest  policy  is  to  adopt  such  measures,  as  will  operate 
as  a  check  on  excessive  drinking,  and  this  is  the  policy  which  is  followed  here. 
It  may  be  added,  that  in  the  malarious  tracts  which  abound  in  the  Central 
Provinces,  it  is  quite  possible,  that  the  moderate  consumption  of  a  weak  spirit, 
such  as  that  ordinarily  consumed  in  these  Provinces,  has  its  beneficial  effects  in 
protecting  the  people  from  chills  and  fevers.  But,  however  that  may  be,  there 
is  the  fact,  that  the  use  of  liquor  in  this  part  of  the  country  has  no  connection 
with  the  advent  of  British  rule,  and  that  steps  were  first  taken  upwards  of 
twenty  years  ago  to  restrict  its  consumption. 


(     158    ) 

In  Assam  we  read  of  the  state  of  affairs,  as  it  was  when  the 
British  occupied  Assam,  when  almost  every  cultivator  of  land 
grew  a  patch  of  poppy  in  the  cold  weather,  and  as  the  use  of 
the  drug  was  adopted  in  its  most  fascinating  form  by  smoking, 
the  householder,  as  well  as  his  women  and  children,  were  con- 
firmed opium-consumers,  for  the  drug  was  collected  by  wiping 
off  the  juice  of  the  poppy-heads  on  rags,  which,  on  being  dried, 
were  quite  prepared  for  smoking.  The  cultivation  of  the  Poppy 
was  forbidden,  and  the  only  opium  introduced  into  the  valley 
came  from  the  State-Monopoly,  and  was  sold  to  men  only  at 
an  enhanced  price.  In  the  mean  time  the  people  increased 
in  number,  and  all  the  elements  of  comfort,  and  other  forms  of 
intoxicating  liquors  have  come  into  fashion,  quite  independent 
of  any  European  or  British  contact  or  influence.  The  following 
remarks  of  a  District  Officer  of  an  independent  tribe  are  worthy 
of  notice: 

As  regards  the  district  of  the  Khasi  and  Jaintia  Hills  the  remarks  hardly 
apply,  as  outside  of  Shillong  Excise  rules  cannot  properly  be  said  to  apply. 
On  the  broad  question,  my  opinion  is,  that,  were  there  no  Excise  system  in 
India,  drunkenness  would  vastly  increase  with  the  increase  of  prosperity,  which 
this  country  enjoys.  The  Jaintia  are,  perhaps,  the  most  drunken  race  in  the 
Province,  if  not  in  India,  and  they  pay  no  Excise  taxes.  Several  times  respect- 
able Jaintia  have  implored  me  and  my  predecessors  to  introduce  the  Excise 
system  with  the  express  view  of  lessening  intemperance,  but  for  various  reasons 
this  measure  has  not  yet  been  adopted.  Of  course  it  would  be  idle  to  deny, 
that  the  establishment  of  a  shop  at  a  place,  where  one  was  not  in  existence 
before,  tends  to  increase  the  drunkenness  of  that  particular  locality.  But  this 
to  my  mind  only  shows,  that  the  desire  to  drink  is  omnipresent,  and  that,  if  the 
demand  now  creates  a  supply  in  spite  of  the  heavy  taxes  raised  as  Excise  duty, 
and,  in  spite  of  all  the  vexatious  rules  and  checks,  regulating  the  traffic,  in  the 
absence  of  these  taxes,  rules,  and  checks,  for  every  one  shop  now  in  existence, 
there  would  be  a  score,  if  the  Excise  Department  were  abolished,  unless, 
indeed,  the  manufacture  of  liquor  was  altogether  prohibited  throughout  India. 
I  should  imagine  that  this  is  a  measure,  which  not  even  the  Temperance  Society 
would  advocate  ;  but,  if  they  would  do  so,  I  would  oppose  it  on  the  grounds, 
that  it  would  be  an  intolerable  interference  with  the  liberty  of  the  subject  ; 
that  India  cannot  afford  to  lose  any  Revenue  at  all  just  now  ;  that  the  Excise 
tax  is  the  least  burdensome  of  all  taxes,  since  no  one  need  drink  unless  he  likes  ; 
that  all  civilized  nations  drink,  and  apparently  in  exact  proportion  to  the  extent 
of  their  civilization  and  general  progress  (England  taking  the  lead). 

In  the  Administration  Reports  presented  to  Parliament  annually 
by  a  succession  of  Governors,  who  have  no  connection  with 
their  predecessors,  but  are  often  in  antagonism  to  them,  we 
find  a  faithful  picture  of  the  progress  of  each  Province,  such  as 
no  Nation  in  the  world,  past  or  present,  has  ever  received  from 
its  Subject  Empires.  If  Cicero  during  his  Proconsulate  in 
Cilicia,  or  Pontius  Pilate  at  Jerusalem,  had  sent  to  Rome  such 
Reports,  and  they  had  survived  to  our  times,  many  obscure 
points  would  be  cleared  up.  These  Reports  must  be  true, 
because  they  are  exposed  to  the  lynx  eyes  of  readers,  who  know 


(     159    ) 

the  circumstances  as  well  as  the  Reporter,  In  the  Reports 
of  the  Excise  we  find,  how  the  amount  fluctuates,  because  the 
particular  year  was  not  auspicious  to  Hindu  marriages,  and 
there  were  fewer  marriages,  and  less  feasting.  The  presence 
of  large  gangs  of  labourers  collected  for  great  Public  Works 
is  a  cause  for  the  increase  of  the  Excise  quite  intelligible.  In 
Barma  we  read,  that  Rum  imported  from  Penang  is  driving  out 
the  locally  distilled  liquor.  In  Bangal  it  is  noticed,  that  foreign 
rums  and  cheap  brandy  are  superseding  rum  of  local  manu- 
facture. The  consumption  of  opium  seems  to  be  decreasing 
everywhere  :  but  the  income  of  British  India  from  the  Excise 
is  steadily  increasing,  and  it  is  considered  to  be  indicative  of 
growing  prosperity  among  the  people. 

I  did  not  take  up  the  pen  to  justify,  or  even  palliate,  the  use 
of  intoxicating  liquors,  and  stupefying  drugs  :  on  one  occasion 
years  ago,  during  a  discussion  in  a  Missionary  Committee  on 
the  subject  of  the  opium  question,  I  expressed  my  regret,  that  our 
Heavenly  Father  had  in  His  wisdom  created  the  Poppy  to  be 
the  cause  of  ruin  to  millions,  and  a  root  of  bitterness  among 
good  men.  I  can  only  add  my  regret,  that  the  same  All-wise 
Power  had  created  Sugar  and  Hemp,  and  Rice,  and  Grain,  and 
the  Palm  Tree,  and  the  Mohwa  tree,  and  allowed  these  poor 
ignorant  races,  from  whom  so  much  knowledge  had  been  shut 
out,  to  discover,  as  the  first  of  Nature's  discovered  secrets,  the 
mysterious  trick  of  fermentation.  Still,  in  the  cause  of  truth  I 
protest  against  the  view  taken  on  the  subject  by  the  orators  of 
Prince's  Hall.    I  quote  some  words : 

Hindu  and  Mahometans  have  listened  to  the  voices  of  their  Prophets,  as  the 
Rechabites,  and  been  blessed  thereby. 

We  have  made  money  out  of  the  misery  of  the  Indian  people,  and  grown 
rich  out  of  their  degradation. 

If  we  were  to  give  local  self-government  for  twelve  months  to  the  ten  Millions 
of  the  North-west  Provinces  (the  population  amounts  to  twenty-two),  we  are 
assured  (by  whom  ?)  that  at  the  end  of  that  period  drunkenness  would  have 
disappeared,  because  Mahometans  would  be  ashamed  to  defile  their  fingers  with 
Rupees  for  the  sale  of  "  Shame- water,"  as  it  is  called  (by  whom?),  and  the 
Hindu  would  boycott  with  indignation  any  publican,  who  bore  a  licence  to 
demoralize  his  fellow-subjects. 

Instead  of  wells,  we  have  plenty  of  grog-shops. 

We  derive  from  that  source  a  perfect  river  of  gold,  flowing  into  our 
Exchequer,  but  the  River  flows  from  the  fountain  of  Shame-water. 

Some  of  these  points  require  special  reply.  What  is  "  Shame- 
water".^  It  looks  as  if  an  imperfectly  instructed  linguist  had 
confused  the  word  "  sharab,"  which  means  "wine,"  and  lives 
on  in  the  English  word  "  sharbet,"  with  the  word  "  sharam," 
which  means  "  shame."  I  have  heard  liquors  called  by  many 
bad  names  in  Hindustani,  and  respectable  people  (perhaps 
Secret  drinkers)  would  make  wry  faces,  and  signs  of  disgust. 


(     i6o    ) 

if  the  word  "sharab"  were  used  in  their  hearing;  but  I  never 
heard  the  word  "  Shame-water"  in  general  native  parlance.  It 
implies  a  knowledge  of  English,  as  well  as  Hindustani,  which 
is  rare  among  Natives  of  Upper  India.  And  does  any  sensible 
person  really  recommend  such  a  breach  of  the  peace  as  is 
implied  in  "  boycotting  "  ?  Does  he  dare  boycott  a  Public  House 
in  Westminster.''  Why  then  propose  to  a  Hindu  to  do  an  act 
in  Upper  India,  which  would  most  certainly  lodge  him  in  the 
Gaol  ?  Are  the  weak  Municipalities  of  India  able  to  dispose 
of  the  Liquor  question  in  such  a  trenchant  way,  while  the 
ancient  Municipalities  of  Great  Britain  have  failed.^  It  is 
difficult  to  get  any  meaning  out  of  the  blessing,  which  the 
Hindu  and  Mahometan  are  said  to  have  got  from  their  false 
Prophets.  What  blessing  can  come  from  the  hideous  idolatry 
of  the  Hindu,  or  the  Christ-dishonouring  tenets  of  INIahomet  ? 
How  have  we  become  rich  out  of  the  degradation  of  the  people 
of  India  ?  Not  a  Rupee  of  tribute  comes  to  Great  Britain 
from  India.  The  balance  of  advantage  of  the  Union  of  the 
Empires  is  enormously  on  the  side  of  India,  which  has  obtained 
everything  from  Great  Britain  except  Political  and  Commercial 
Liberty,  Reflect  upon  the  treatment,  which  the  South  Africans 
the  Australians,  the  New  Zealanders  and  North  American  indi- 
genous population,  despoiled  of  their  lands,  and  turned  into 
serfs,  have  received  at  the  hands  of  the  British  settler,  and 
contrast  it  with  that  of  the  people  of  India,  where  Raja  and 
Citizen,  landholder  and  tenant,  enjoy  their  ancestral  land 
and  houses,  as  they  were  at  the  beginning  of  the  Rule  of  the 
Company,  transmitting  them  to  their  children,  whether  Hindu 
or  Mahometan,  according  to  their  own  law  of  INIarriage  and 
Inheritance,  and  where  in  the  Courts  of  Justice  there  is  no- 
distinction  of  white  or  black,  Christian  or  non-Christian. 

A  certain  English  Missionary  addressed  a  letter  to  JMr.  Samuel 
Smith,  which  has  been  published.  Now  I  am  well  acquainted 
with  all  the  Missionary  Societies  of  India,  and  I  should  like  to 
know  the  name  of  this  gentleman  :    it  is  he  who  tells  us  that 

The  Board  of  Revenue  encourage  the  drink  trade,  put  facilities  before  the 
people  in  order  to  push  on  the  trade  and  get  in  a  large  revenue  :  there  was 
a  grand  triumph  for  the  Excise,  but  it  was  at  the  cost  of  fearful  misery  and 
demoralization  of  the  people  of  India.  No  less  than  half  a  dozen  of  Rajas 
have  died  at  a  comparatively  young  age  within  the  last  few  years  from  indulgence 
freely  in  kegs  (sic)  of  champagne  (not  soda)  and  brandy.  Europeans  may 
reform  and  give  up  drink,  but  a  Native  goes  on  to  the  end  :  he  seldom  or 
never  can  give  it  up. 

I  call  on  Mr.  Samuel  Smith  to  let  us  know  the  name  of  this 
INIissionary,  that  he  may  be  cross-examined  as  to  the  truth  of 
his  statements :  it  ill  becomes  a  Christian  Minister  to  make 
such  a  statement  to   a   chance   traveller,   and  not   to  bring  it 


(     i6i     ) 

before  the  notice  of  a  Conference  of  Missionaries,  or  report 
it  to  his  own  Committee.  As  a  member  of  the  Committee  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society,  I  can  certify,  that  we  hear  news 
from  every  part  of  India  about  Famines,  and  Pestilences,  and 
the  condition  of  the  people  of  India,  and  the  Manufacture  of 
Opium,  and  Secular  Education,  but  I  have  no  recollection  of 
the  subject  of  the  misery  of  the  people  brought  on  by  drunken- 
ness, encouraged  by  the  Government.  In  a  Committee,  contain- 
ing at  least  a  dozen  retired  Anglo-Indian  Civilians  and  Soldiers, 
this  would  have  produced  a  startling  sensation,  and  would  have 
led  to  inquiries,  and  remonstrances  to  the  Secretary  of  State  for 
India. 

It  is  the  European  Distillers,  and  Exporters,  who  are  render- 
ing nugatory  all  the  endeavours  of  a  wise  and  benevolent 
Government  to  control  a  fearful  evil,  which  appears  to  accom- 
pany Education  and  Civilization,  when  unsanctified  by  the 
Christian  Religion,  which  inculcates  the  only  real  Morality. 

I  place  on  record  the  rate  of  annual  consumption  in  each  of 
the  five  great  Provinces  : 

Bangal,  a  quarter  of  a  gallon  for  every  adult  male. 

Madras,  less  than  a  quarter. 

Bombay,  less  than  a  gallon. 

North-west  Provinces,  one  pint. 

The  Panjab,  a  quarter  of  a  pint. 

The  whole  of  India,  one  bottle  or  a  bottle  and  a  half. 

If  the  women  are  taken  into  calculation,  and  the  boys  and 
girls  up  to  thirteen,  for  whose  unprotected  state  Mr.  Caine 
expressed  such  anxiety,  the  average  will  fall  still  lower.  The 
numbers  are  so  enormous,  it  is  not  easy  for  those,  who  are 
only  accustomed  to  the  small  populations  of  Europe,  to  grasp 
the  idea  of  a  single  Province  with  a  population  of  Sixty-six 
Millions,  and  an  Empire  of  two  hundred  and  fifty :  the  amount 
of  liquor,  which  would  drench  England,  is  only  a  sprinkling 
when  scattered  over  India. 

Sir  Richard  Temple,  M.P.,  made  the  following  statement  in 
the  House  of  Commons  in  1887:  if  any  one  knows  India,  he 
does,  and  he  is  in  no  respect  the  paid  defender,  or  in  the  least 
dependent  on  the  Government  of  India : 

With  regard  to  the  civil  administration,  it  had  been  said  that  in  order  to 
stimulate  the  Excise,  they  were  driving  the  people  into  intemperance.  He  gave 
that  statement  the  most  emphatic  denial.  If  there  was  any  tendency  to 
intemperance,  the  Government  of  India  would  soon  take  steps  to  stop  that 
danger.  Anything  further  from  the  mind  of  the  Government  of  India  than  the 
idea  he  referred  to  could  not  be  imagined,  and,  indeed,  very  few  populations 
were  less  liable  to  intemperance  than  the  people  of  India. 


(     i62     ) 

I  have  very  little  to  thank  the  Government  of  India  for, 
not  even  a  Retiring  Pension :  but  I  love  the  people  of 
India  very  dearly,  and  after  a  careful  examination  of  the 
systems  of  administration  of  subject-countries  by  any  Nation 
in  ancient  or  modern  times,  I  have  come  to  the  conviction,  that 
the  much-abused  Government  of  India  is  the  most  sympathetic, 
the  most  just,  the  most  tolerant,  and  the  most  influenced  by 
Christian  wisdom,  liberality,  and  conscientiousness,  that  the 
world  has  ever  seen  ;  it  is  not  then  a  matter  of  surprise  that, 
as  I  hold  such  sentiments,  such  speeches  could  not  be  over- 
looked :  there  were  but  two  alternatives,  to  admit  the  truth  of 
their  statements,  and  join  them  in  the  Crusade,  or  to  combat 
them,  as  I  do  now.  The  Government  of  India  has  to  submit 
to  much  contumely,  but  it  appears  to  affect  it  very  little :  in 
the  consciousness  of  Right  it  is  strong;  the  Indian  Press  is 
free,  and  the  Records  of  the  State  are  freely  published :  there 
is  nothing  to  conceal. 

What  can  be  done  ? 

It  should  be  impressed  upon  the  Government  of  India,  that 
there  should  be  triennial  reviews  of  the  Excise  system,  and  the 
greatest  watchfulness  maintained  over  the  working  of  the  system, 
as  carried  out  by  Native  subordinates,  who  cannot  be  trusted : 
there  should  be  some  special  officer  in  each  Province  :  his  salary 
can  be  provided  from  the  ever-increasing  Excise.  A  stop  at 
once  should  be  placed  on  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors  in  any 
College,  or  Office  of  the  State.  Intoxication  should  be  punished 
by  instant  dismissal.  Bands  of  Hope,  Temperance  Societies, 
and  a  Temperance  Literature  in  all  the  languages  of  India, 
should  be  encouraged.  A  Missionary  tells  me  that  they  are 
already  formed  in  the  Panjab,  and  no  doubt  in  other  Provinces,- 
as  there  is  a  strong  feeling  in  its  favour  amidst  a  large  Section 
of  the  Community:  it  is  not  like  introducing  a  new  Religion  : 
it  is  an  attempt  to  enforce  a  Rule  of  Morality,  in  which  all  agree, 
whether  Christian,  Hindu,  Sikh,  Buddhist,  Parsi,  Jew,  Nature- 
worshipper,  Mahometan,  or  Brahmoist;  The  unwarranted 
attacks  of  Missionaries  on  Caste  have  been  very  prejudicial,  as 
Caste-Rules  are  great  preservatives  of  the  decencies  of  life, 
and  should  be  respected.  A  confirmed  drunkard  would  be 
turned  out  of  a  respectable  Caste. 

Sensational  abuse  should  cease :  the  matter  is  too  solemn  for 
platform-eloquence.  Fanaticism  does  no  good.  Henry  V.  of 
England,  a  reformed  rake,  intended  to  root  the  vine  out  of 
France,  if  he  had  lived  :  had  he  done  so,  he  would  have  been 
equally  intemperate  in  his  manhood,  as  in  his  youth.  The 
existence  of  human  tendencies  in  every  race  of  mankind  must 
be  recognized  as  a  fact :  this  is  part  of  our  physical  constitution  : 
the  abundant  supply  of  intoxicating  materials   in   India  is  a  fact 


(     i63     ) 

also  :  this  was  part  of  Nature's  mysterious  plan.  We  should 
try  so  to  restrain  the  use  by  practical  laws,  that  the  weak  may  be 
held  back  from  the  abuse  of  what,  if  moderately  used,  is  lawful. 
Centuries  ago  an  Abbey  was  built  on  Thorney  Island,  which 
became  the  most  illustrious  in  the  world  :  within  a  radius  of  five 
miles  round  this  Abbey  a  larger  amount  of  drink  is  consumed 
than  in  any  other  equal  area  :  is  the  Abbey  to  blame  ?  The 
liquor  consumed  is  both  indigenous,  and  foreign  import.  The 
Empire  of  India  is  the  most  illustrious  in  the  world  in  wealth, 
population,  products  and  arts :  the  Indian  Nation  were  fore- 
most in  Science,  Commerce,  Manufacture,  and  Literature,  when 
the  British  were  still  savages  clad  in  skins  :  and  yet  I  have  con- 
clusively shown,  that  at  aU  periods  of  their  ancient  history  they 
had  among  them  a  section  of  the  community,  who  abused  the 
good  gifts  of  Nature  :  and  since  the  connection  of  India  with 
Europe  the  evil  has  been  intensified  by  the  import  of  the  liquid  poison 
of  Europe :  is  the  Government  of  India  to  blame  ? 

And  how  can  the  British  Nation  throw  stones  in  this  particular 
at  the  Indian  }  "  Physician,  heal  thyself!  "  would  be  the  reply 
from  India,  if  it  were  as  free  as  Australia.  The  great  Indo- 
European,  or  Arian,  Race,  in  its  vast  expansion  from  India 
to  Ireland,  has  been  for  many  Centuries  great  in  Arms,  Arts, 
Science  and  Legislation,  and  everything  that  can  render  the 
Human  Race  illustrious,  but  it  has  in  all  its  branches,  Kelt, 
Teuton,  Slav,  Italo-Greek,  Iranic  and  Indie,  been  always  famous, 
in  spite  of  the  Priest  and  Moralist,  for  its  passion  for  intoxi- 
cating liquors,  and  at  this  day  the  Teuton  has  become  the 
great  Poisoner  of  the  World.  Their  footsteps  have  been  d)ed  in 
blood  and  their  hands  steeped  in  drink,  in  their  grand  march 
over  Continent  and  Island :  they  talk  of  Civilization  and 
Religion,  but  what  they  have  given  to  Africa  and  Oceania  is 
one  grain  of  Bible-teaching,  drowned  in  tons  of  Drink.  The 
wages  of  the  day-labourer  have  been  paid  in  demijohns  of  gin  : 
the  exchange  of  compliments  with  a  Chieftain  has  been  in  a 
"  dash  "  of  brandy.  Unless  the  conscience  of  Christian  Nations 
is  roused,  nothing  can  be  done.  The  legislature  of  British 
India  could  in  some  way  protect  itself,  if  the  iron  hand  of 
Manchester  were  lifted  up,  and  India  had  the  same  independence 
of  taxation  of  Imports  as  the  Dominion  of  Canada  and  the 
Colonies  of  South  Africa  and  Australia.  Some  arrangements 
might  be  made  for  the  interior  distribution  of  European  liquor 
among  European  residents  in  British  India,  if  a  prohibitory 
Import  Duty  could  be  placed  upon  all  liquors  imported  beyond 
Sea  for  the  use  of  the  Natives  of  India,  their  consent  having  beeji 
obtained  to  this  arranget?ient :  until  this  is  done,  there  is  no  hope 
lor  the  People  of  India. 

This  Paper  has  been  published  in  India  and  England,  and  will 


(     i64     ) 

probably  be  quoted  into  some  of  the  Vernacular  newspapers : 
copies  have  been  sent  to  the  Missionary  Societies  of  North 
America,  and  the  Continent.  The  false  charge  has  gone  forth  : 
the  reply  has  followed.  The  Press  of  Europe,  America,  and 
India  can  bring  to  the  test  the  accuracy  of  my  quotations  from 
Indian  Authors,  and  the  correctness  of  the  facts  stated  in  the 
Despatch  of  the  Viceroy.  As  soon  as  this  stumbling-block  has 
been  removed,  the  Committee  of  the  Church  of  England 
Temperance  Society  can  resume  its  benevolent  labours,  and  the 
Committee  of  the  Missionary  Societies  can  be  raised  from  the 
state  of  suspended  life  caused  by  the  speeches  of  the  orators  of 
Prince's  Hall  of  March,  1887.  I  am  sorry  to  have  come  into 
collision  with  them,  but 

Amicus  Plato  :    amicus  Socrates  :    major  amicus  est  Veritas. 
London,  Jan.  i,  1888. 

The  darkest  hour  of  the  night  is  the  one  before  dawn.  Can 
we  hope  that  something  will  be  done  ?  I  add  a  quotation  from 
an  American  Missionary  Journal  just  received.  Deep  ca/is  to 
Deep : 

A  debate  took  place  in  the  British  Parliament,  April  24,  on  the  question  of 
the  liquor  traffic  and  native  races.  The  disastrous  results  of  the  liquor  traffic 
were  universally  admitted  and  deplored.  The  necessity  for  prompt  and 
energetic  action,  if  the  natives  are  to  he  saved  from  extermination,  was  clearly 
set  forth.  It  was  urged  that  a  convention  be  called  for  united  action  on  the 
part  of  the  Powers  of  Europe.  A  statement  was  made  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Colonies,  that  the  United  States  Government  had  not  responded  favourably  to 
proposals  for  an  international  agreement  on  this  subject,  and  that  Secretary 
Bayard  had  declared,  that  while  our  Government  recognized  the  moral  force 
and  general  propriety  of  the  proposed  regulations,  it  does  not  feel  entirely 
prepared  to  join  in  the  international  understanding  proposed.  This  is  a 
humiliating  statement  to  be  made  by  the  U.  S.  Government,  and  publicly 
announced  in  the  British  Parliament.  It  is  for  Americans  to  see  to  it,  that 
our  Government  and  our  people  are  prepared  for  such  co-operation.  This 
debate  indicates  a  purpose  to  take  hold  of  this  great  problem  with  vigour, 
and  the  following  motion  was  agreed  to  without  a  division  :  "That  this  House, 
"  having  regard  to  the  disastrous  physical  and  moral  effects  of  the  liquor  traffic 
"  among  uncivilized  races,  as  well  as  the  injury  it  inflicts  on  legitimate  commerce, 
"  will  cordially  support  the  Imperial  and  Colonial  governments  in  endeavours 
"  to  suppress  the  traffic  in  all  the  native  territories  and  governments  under 
"  their  influence  and  control." 

July  20,  1888. 


(     i65     ) 


VII.     • 
EDUCATION. 

This  branch  of  Missionary  effort  has  no  Apostolic  Sanction, 
We  must  not  forget  this,  and  blame  those,  who  pass  it  by. 
Nor  is  Education  necessarily  a  help  to  Evangelization  :  quite 
the  contrary :  the  most  learned  men  of  all  European  countries 
are  the  most  far  from  God.  St.  Paul  knew  it  in  his  time,  for 
he  writes,  that  not  many  wise  are  called,  and  that  God  chose 
the  foolish  things  of  this  world,  that  they  might  put  to  shame 
them  that  are  wise.  And  yet  St.  Paul  knew  what  a  school  was, 
for  at  Ephesus  he  reasoned  daily  in  the  school  of  one  Tyrannus, 
probably  a  teacher  of  Grammar  and  Rhetoric,  and  at  Athens, 
when  he  stood  on  Mars  Hill,  his  eye  must  have  fallen  on  the 
enclosures  of  the  Stoa  and  the  Academia,  the  greatest  Schools 
in  the  world. 

The  Apostles  went  about  preaching  and  teaching,  but  it  goes 
without  saying,  that  such  teaching  was  religious,  and  a  strict 
part  of  the  Gospel-Message.  In  this  generation  the  School- 
master has  got  abroad,  and  certain  nationalities,  having  developed 
an  aptitude  for  secular  learning,  bring  it  unduly  forward  in  the 
plan  of  Gospel- Salvation,  Perhaps  in  a  lesser  degree  the  same 
undue  stress  is  placed  upon  outward  personal  cleanliness,  and 
in  the  Gospel  according  to  Mr.  Mundella,  once  a  Minister  of 
Public  Instruction,  Cleanliness  is  quoted  on  inspired  authority, 
as  next  to  Godliness,  To  any  one,  who  is  acquainted  with  the 
simple  lives,  and  moderate  requirements  of  Asiatic  or  African 
races,  and  the  very  slow  process  of  centuries,  through  which 
the  English  and  Scotch  people  have  been  brought  up  to  the 
present  level  of  education  and  cleanliness,  it  must  be  evident, 
that  the  imposition  of  conditions,  not  imposed  by  our  Lord, 
is  deeply  to  be  deplored  :  it  stands  out  in  conspicuous  contrast 
to  the  Monkish  history  of  the  Early  Christian  Saints,  who  are 
always  recorded  to  have  worn  foul  clothes,  abounded  in  vermin, 
and  to  have  been  generally  totally  ignorant  of  the  wisdom  of 
this  world.     A  halo  of  sanctity  attached  to  such,  as  to  the  filthy 


(     166     ) 

hairy  Fakir  of  India,  which  would  not  surround  the  neat  home 
of  the  rigorously  clean,  and  carefully  shorn,  Missionary. 
Now  the  subject  must  be  divided  into  two  branches : 

I.  Religious,  or  quasi-religious. 

II.  Secular  pure  and  simple,  or  Secular  upon  a  Christian 
method  for  Christian  objects  by  the  agency  of  Christian  men. 

With  regard  to  the  first  Section  of  the  first  Branch,  there  is 
not  a  word  to  be  said  by  way  of  disparagement.  The  method 
of  conveying  religious  teaching,  and  the  amount,  which  the 
hearers  can  receive,  must  var}'  from  tribe  to  tribe,  and  age  to 
age.  The  teaching  of  a  British  Sunday-school  would  not  go 
far  to  make  a  British  divine,  but  that  teaching  might  be  over 
the  heads  of  the  African  greybeards.  I  must  leave  this  to  the 
IMissionary,  with  the  proviso,  that  the  Bible  is  the  text-book. 

The  phenomena,  described  in  the  second,  occur,  when  in  a 
purely  secular  school  one  of  the  teachers,  or  a  stranger,  is  per- 
mitted before  or  after  the  school-hours  to  address  the  students, 
leading  on  from  the  school-subject  just  lectured  upon,  or  about 
to  be  discussed,  and  giving  it  a  higher  turn,  suggestive  of  the 
knowledge  of  things  Divine,  the  basis  on  which  all  ^Morals 
rest,  the  highest  objects  of  human  faculties.  Young  and  ardent 
minds  may  thus  be  influenced,  and  the  door  of  a  new  world 
opened  :  a  fruitful  seed  may  find  a  lodgment.  The  Resolution 
of  the  Supreme  Government  of  British  India  of  this  year,  which 
will  be  again  referred  to  lower  down,  alludes  to  the  existence 
of  this  possibility.     I  quote  the  words : 

Even  in  schools  supported  by  the  State  something  in  the  way  of  religious 
instruction  can  be  effected  out  of  school-hours  in  accordance  with  established 
principles. 

I  now  pass  to  the  second  branch,  "Secular  Instruction  pure- 
and  simple."  To  my  mind  no  Missionary  Society  should 
undertake  such  a  dut}',  under  any  possible  circumstances.  The 
money,  which  is  collected  to  send  him  out,  and  maintain  him, 
was  collected  for  the  purpose  of  converting  a  soul,  not  sharpen- 
ing an  intellect:  to  make  men  wise  unto  Salvation  through  faith, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  so-called  IMissionary,  who  can 
only  teach  Mathematics,  Logic,  and  Science,  generally  has 
mistaken  his  profession  ;  but  he  might  be  of  great  use  to  the 
Missionary  cause,  by  being  employed  in  the  State-Education 
Department,  and  thus  indirectly  preparing  for  conversion. 

But  the  second  Section  of  the  second  Branch  involves  other 
conditions,  and  must  again  be  subdivided  upon  Geographical 
and  Ethnical  considerations.  Where  the  Missionary  has  to  act 
upon  the  African  under  a  Native  Chief,  or  in  Oceania,  or  in  such 
parts  of  Asia,  where  no  proper  and  sufficient  provision  is  made 
for  the  Education  of  the  Natives,  it  is  clear,  that  Schools  of  a 
Secular-Religious   character   are   one    of    the   most    important 


(     1^7     ) 

agencies,  and  must  not  be  neglected.  But  he  must  take  care, 
that  Religious  Instruction  is  the  beginning  and  end,  and  that  it 
is  openly  announced,  that  the  conversion  of  souls  is  the  sole 
object.  It  is  sad  to  think,  that  in  some  cases  Missionary 
Schools  have  not  been  opened  with  prayer,  out  of  pretended 
respect  to  the  consciences  of  the  Heathen  and  Mahometan, 
that  Heathen  and  Mahometan  teachers  are  employed,  that  in 
a  long  course  of  years  no  conversions  can  be  credited  to  the 
School,  and  that  the  only  result  of  the  instruction  is  to  raise 
the  students  above  the  level  of  their  surroundings,  their  parents, 
their  relations,  their  means  of  livelihood,  or  to  have  placed  a 
good  cheap  education  within  reach  of  a  very  undeserving  class. 

I  have  remarked  this  last  feature  particularly  in  the  Female 
Schools  in  the  Turkish  Dominions :  I  do  not  particularize. 
The  Educational  Establishments  within  that  kingdom  are 
magnificent,  and  reflect  great  credit  upon  the  Missionary 
Associations,  and  I  was  assured,  that  conversion,  and  conversion 
only,  was  the  object  intended  ;  but  I  fear,  that  the  result  is  not 
always  so.  Any  allusion  to  the  arrangements  made  for  the 
education  of  converts,  or  for  training  of  Pastors,  Teachers,  and 
Catechists,  is  omitted,  as  I  have  to  deal  with  Missionary,  and 
not  with  Pastoral,  work. 

Where  the  Missionary  operations  lie  within  the  limits  of  great 
European  kingdoms,  such  as  Great  Britain,  France,  Germany, 
Spain,  or  Portugal,  the  case  is  different.  Every  European  Power 
has  in  these  last  days  recognized  the  duty  of  the  State  to  attend 
to  the  subject  of  Education  as  much  as  of  Police,  and  each 
State  takes  a  different  view  of  the  methods  to  be  employed  : 
but  it  is  a  Sovereign-right,  and  cannot  be  assailed  by  any  Inter- 
national Law.  Austria  and  Russia  will  allow  no  interference 
whatever.  France  does  not  actually  forbid,  but  enforces  such 
laws,  that  it  amounts  to  the  same  thing.  All  instruction  must 
be  conducted  in  the  French  language,  and  by  French  certificated 
teachers.  There  is  sufficient  semblance  of  justice  in  these  rules 
to  prevent  any  remonstrance  :  the  Missionary  has  to  close  his 
Schools.  Turkey  is  attempting  to  introduce  some  such  principle, 
and  there  is  a  general  uneasiness  in  Missionary  circles.  The 
Schools  are  suddenly  closed  ;  then  explanation  is  offered,  and 
they  are  reopened.  Certain  Regulations  have  been  propounded  : 
the  foreign  Missionary  has  no  alternative,  but  to  obey.  No 
international  principle  is  involved  :  if  the  Government  of  Turkey 
chose  to  make  Turkish,  or  Arabic,  the  sole  vehicle  of  instruc- 
tion, and  to  exclude  foreign  teachers,  it  would  be  entirely  within 
its  Sovereign-rights,  as  asserted  by  Austria  and  Russia.  The 
Missionary  must  temporize,  yield  a  little,  conciliate  the  authori- 
ties, conform  as  far  as  possible  to  the  Regulations  :  if  it  comes 
at  last  to  the  impossibility  of  conducting  Schools  on  a  religious 


(     i68     ) 

basis,  they  must  be  closed,  and  converted  subjects  of  the  Sultan 
encouraged  to  open  private  establishments.  One  thing  is  clear, 
that  no  policy  can  be  more  suicidal  than  to  worry  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  Sultan,  and  weaken  its  power:  it  would  only 
accelerate  the  catastrophe  of  the  breaking  down  of  the  tottering 
Empire,  which  would  mean  the  annexation  of  Turkey  in  Asia  by 
Russia,  of  Turkey  in  Europe  by  Austria,  of  Syria  and  Palestine 
by  France,  and  the  absolute  closing  for  ever  of  all  Protestant 
Schools.  I  remark  with  great  anxiety  and  regret,  the  occasional 
petulant  and  unwise  conduct  of  American  and  British  Mission- 
aries, who  do  not  seem  to  realize  the  sword,  which  is  hanging 
by  a  thread  over  their  heads,  and  no  diplomatic  interference 
would  help  them  in  a  matter  of  internal  administration,  which 
the  Turk  proposes  to  conduct  on  the  same  principles  as  his  dear 
brethren  the  Russian,  Austrian  and  Frenchman.  Missionaries 
forget,  that,  though  they  carry  personal  rights  with  them  into  a 
friendly  country,  those  personal  rights  do  not  protect  them  in 
a  breach  of  the  domestic  laws  of  the  country. 

During  the  present  year  a  remarkable  instance  has  occurred 
in  the  United  States  of  North  America  of  the  arbitrary  use  of 
the  Sovereign-right  to  regulate  Education  within  National 
limits.  It  is  notorious,  that  within  those  limits  there  are  about 
250,000  indigenous  American  Indians,  speaking  about  one 
hundred  different  languages  :  and  the  Missionary  Societies  of 
the  United  States  have  made  noble  efforts  to  convert  these 
heathen :  the  Bible  has  been  translated,  and  the  Vernaculars 
made  the  vehicle  of  Instruction.  Suddenly  from  the  State 
Department  of  this  free  Republic  has  been  issued  an  order, 
resembling  a  Russian  Ukase,  ordering  English  to  be  made  the 
sole  vehicle  of  instruction,  both  in  State-supported  and  private 
schools.  The  Missionaries  have,  as  was  to  be  expected,  remon- 
strated. I  only  quote  the  case  to  illustrate  my  position  as  to  the 
Sovereign-right  of  the  State. 

In  the  Colonies  of  Great  Britain  it  is  different.  As  they 
have  a  constitutional  government,  it  rests  with  each  to  regulate 
its  own  Educational  system,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  it 
will  be  on  liberal  principles.  The  Government  of  British 
India  has  the  hardest,  and  most  perilous  duty  to  discharge,  and 
strange  to  say,  has  received  an  amount  of  obloquy  and  detractation 
from  Missionaries,  which  does  them  no  credit.  If  British  India 
were  to  pass  into  the  hands  of  Russia  or  France,  or  Independent 
Native  States,  it  would  serve  the  INIissionaries  right.  The  great 
Problem  before  the  Government  of  India  was,  to  bear  in  mind, 
that  they  were  the  guardians  of  the  great  people,  committed 
to  their  charge,  that  Toleration  to  Religious  convictions  was  the 
chief  Jewel  of  Empire,  and  the  appropriation  of  taxes  levied 
from  Mahometans  and  Idolaters,  to  the  purpose  of  converting 


(     i69     ) 

them  to  another  form  of  religion,  would  be  an  intolerable  wrong, 
which  would  be  resented  by  the  British  People,  if  the  Pope  of 
Rome,  or  the  Caliph  of  the  Mahometans,  attempted  that  policy 
in  the  British  Islands. 

It  is  the  practice  of  writers  in  the  cause  of  Missions  to  speak 
hardly  of  the  great  and  impartial  Government  of  India,  under 
whose  segis  a  greater  amount  of  Missionary  work  is  being 
prosecuted  in  peace  and  comfort,  than  the  world  ever  saw  before 
in  any  one  country.  It  is  forgotten,  that  remarks,  levelled 
against  an  impersonal  Government,  really  attack  a  succession  of 
good  and  religious  public  servants,  who,  while  in  India  they 
were  not  ashamed  of  being  Christians,  yet  never  forgot  the 
principle,  which  underlies  all  true  religion,  "of  doing  unto 
others  what  they  would  that  men  should  do  unto  them,"  and 
who  never  swerved  from  the  dictates  of  tolerance,  equity,  and 
respect  for  the  consciences  of  the  great  people,  over  whose 
destinies  they  were  called  to  preside.  I  do  not  like  to  see 
demands  made,  which  the  people,  if  they  had  an  independent 
constitutional  form  of  government,  would  never  grant.  St.  Paul, 
and  the  other  Apostles,  were  content  to  be  left  alone.  I  am 
sorry  to  differ  in  this  matter  from  men,  whom  I  love  and  esteem ; 
but  I  must  render  unto  Ccesar  the  things  that  Coesar's,  as  well 
as  the  things  that  are  God's  unto  God. 

The  educational  system  of  British  India  is  entirely  based  on 
the  Educational  Charter  of  1854,  drafted  by  the  late  Viscount 
Halifax,  who  was  then  President  of  the  Board  of  Control.  I 
have  carefully  gone  over  these  famous  one  hundred  paragraphs. 
If  there  is  any  one  leading  characteristic  of  that  Charter,  it  is 
the  desire  not  to  awaken  a  religious  difficulty.     Thus : 

Para.  28.  The  examination  at  the  University  will  not  include  any  subject 
connected  with  rehgious  belief,  and  the  affiliated  institutions  will  be  under  the 
management  of  persons  of  every  variety  of  religious  persuasion. 

Para.  32.  We  shall  refuse  to  sanction  any  teaching  (connected  with  Hindu 
and  Mahometan  tenets),  as  directly  opposed  to  the  principle  of  religious 
neutrality,  to  which  we  have  always  adhered. 

Para.  34.  (The  Senate)  will  include  natives  of  India  of  all  religious  persua- 
sions. 

Para.  53.  The  system  of  grants  in  aid  will  be  based  on  an  entire  abstinence 
from  interference  with  the  religious  instruction  conveyed  in  the  school. 

Para.  56.  No  notice  whatsoever  to  be  taken  by  the  Inspector  of  the  religious 
doctrines,  which  may  be  taught  in  the  school. 

Para.  57.  It  may  be  advisable  distinctly  to  assert  in  them  the  principle  of 
perfect  religious  neutrality,  on  which  the  grants  will  be  awarded. 

Para.  84.  The  institutions  are  founded  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  population 
of  India,  and,  in  order  to  effect  this  object,  it  was,  and  is,  indispensable,  that 
the  education  conveyed  in  them  should  be  exclusively  secular. 

Para.  100.  The  measures  which  we  have  now  adopted  will  involve  a  much 
larger  expenditure  from  the  taxation  of  the  people  of  India. 

These  words  were  written  in    1854,  before  the  great  Sepoy 


(     170    ) 

Mutiny.  In  1859,  Her  Majesty's  Secretary  of  State  for  India 
reviewed  the  whole  subject,  with  reference  to  the  allegation, 
that  this  educational  measure  had  been  among  the  causes, 
which  led  to  the  Mutiny.     I  quote  from  his  despatch  : 

Para.  34.  The  system  of  grants  in  aid  is  based  on  an  entire   abstinence 

from  interference  with  the  religious  instruction  conveyed  in  the  schools  assisted. 

Para.  35.   Every  endeavour  appears  to  have  been  used  to  carry  into  practice 

the  principles  of  perfect  rehgious  neutrality,  on  which  the  system  was   declared 

to  be  based. 

Para.  42.  The  home-authorities  determined,  that  computation  (for  marks  in 
certain  religious  books)  should  not  be  allowed,  and  thus  removed  all  possible 
ground  of  misapprehension. 

Para.  56.  The  author  of  the  Despatch  of  1854  regarded  the  system,  as 
carrying  out  in  the  most  effectual  manner  the  principle  of  perfect  religious 
neutrality,  and  as  solving  in  the  best  practicable  way  various  difficult  questions, 
connected  with  education,  arising  out  of  the  peculiar  position  of  the  British 
Government  in  India,  The  principle  of  perfect  neutrality  in  matters  of  religion, 
on  which  the  system  has  been  brought  into  operation  in  India,  has  been  laid 
down  and  promulgated  with  unmistakable  distinctness  in  published  rules. 

Para.  51.  It  has  been  alleged,  that  notwithstanding  these  precautions  jealousy 
has  been  excited  by  the  assistance  indirectly  extended  through  the  medium  of 
grants  in  aid  to  Missionary  teaching. 

Para.  59.  From  the  earliest  period,  at  which  the  British  Government  in  India 
directed  its  attention  to  the  subject  of  education,  all  its  measures,  in  consistency 
with  the  policy,  which  regulated  its  proceedings  in  other  departments  of  the 
State,  have  been  based  on  the  principle  of  perfect  religious  neutrality  :  in 
other  words,  on  an  abstinence  from  all  interference  with  the  religious  feelings 
and  practices  of  the  natives,  and  on  the  exclusion  of  religious  teaching  from  the 
Government  schools. 

Para.  60.  The  Proclamation  of  Her  Majesty,  on  assuming  the  direct  control 
of  the  Government  of  India,  plainly  declared,  that  no  interference  with  the 
religion  of  the  people,  or  with  their  habits,  and  usages,  was  to  take  place. 

Para.  61.  The  free  resort  of  all  classes  to  Government  schools,  when  unusual 
alarm  had  been  excited  in  the  minds  of  the  natives,  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  the 
confidence,  which  is  felt  in  the  promises  of  Government,  that  no  interference 
with  religious  belief  will  be  allowed  in  their  schools,  and  this  confidence  Her 
Majesty's  Government  would  be  very  reluctant  to  disturb  by  any  change  of 
system,  which  might  give  occasion  to  misapprehension.  They  are  unable 
therefore  to  sanction  any  modification  of  the  rule  of  strict  religious  neutrality, 
which  has  been  hitherto  enforced  in  the  Government  Schools,  and  it  accord- 
ingly remains,  that  the  course  of  study  in  all  Government  institutions  be,  as 
heretofore,  confined  to  secular  subjects. 

Para.  66.  It  seems  important  therefore  to  learn,  whether  any  of  the  measures 
taken  by  the  Government  of  India  in  recent  years  to  promote  the  education  of 
the  natives  of  India  have  been  such  as  to  afford  just  ground  of  suspicion,  or 
alarm  :  whether,  notwithstanding  the  absence  of  any  just  grounds  of  alarm, 
there  has  in  fact  existed  a  misunderstanding  of  the  intentions  of  Government 
with  regard  to  their  measures,  which  excited  apprehensions,  however  unfounded, 
and  whether  any  alterations  of  existing  arrangements  can  be  devised,  by  which 
the  risk  of  misapprehension  may  be  lessened,  and  the  minds  of  the  people  may 
be  set  at  rest. 

These  words  were  written  by  the  present  Earl  Derby,  a 
member  of  the  Conservative  Ministry  :  the  Charter  itself  was 
written  by  Viscount  Halifax,  a  member  of  the  Liberal  Ministry. 


(  I/I  ) 

Both  parties  of  the  State  were  at  one  on  this  policy.  Both 
Despatches  were  published,  and  presented  to  the  Houses  of 
Parliament.  No  change  whatever  in  the  general  policy  has 
taken  place  since  that  date. 

Some  dissatisfied  persons  proposed  to  move  Her  Majesty's 
Secretary  of  State  for  India  to  withdraw  from  the  work  of 
higher  education  in  India,  avowedly  on  the  ground  "that 
education  without  religion  is  not  complete  education."  An 
effort  would  then  be  made  to  supply  the  place  of  abolished 
colleges  by  establishments,  in  which  the  principles  of  the 
Evangelical  Alliance  would  be  enforced,  as  in  a  Missionary 
place  of  education,  and  to  which  the  natives  of  India,  Hindu 
or  Mahometan,  would  be  obliged  to  resort,  or  be  deprived  of 
the  benefit  of  education,  which,  owing  to  the  efforts  of  the  State 
during  the  last  quarter  of  a  century,  has  become  a  necessity  to 
them :  and  to  carry  out  this  policy  a  still  greater  assignment 
of  funds  raised  by  taxation  would  be  asked  for,  as  grants  in  aid. 
Such  is  the  nature  of  the  proposition,  however  much  it  may 
be  qualified  by  such  words  as  "gradually,"  or  "a  greater  or 
less  extent."  The  temper  of  the  House  of  Commons  must 
have  greatly  changed,  if  such  a  proposition  had  been  listened 
to  for  a  moment. 

I  have  arrived  at  a  clear  conviction,  that  the  Government  of  a 
great  subject  country,  held  by  force  of  arms,  ought  never  to 
relinquish  its  grasp  on  the  control  of  the  education  of  a  people, 
any  more  than  it  would  on  the  police,  the  taxation,  and  the 
judicial  system.  Our  political  tenure  of  India  is  a  most  frail 
one.  The  population  is  composed  of  very  distinct  and  hostile 
elements.  The  possibility  of  creating  an  Educational  Board, 
composed  of  representatives  of  all  religions,  seems  very  doubt- 
ful, and  no  statesman  would  undertake  the  responsibility  of 
placing  the  educational  resources  of  the  State,  supplied  by 
taxation,  at  the  disposal  of  religious  denominations,  however 
excellent  might  be  the  character  of  the  individuals.  With 
what  favour  would  Protestants  regard  the  educational  institutions 
of  a  Russian  province,  entrusted  to  a  Greek  Missionary  body, 
or  those  of  a  Portuguese  province,  entrusted  to  the  Jesuits  ? 
A  demand  is  made,  which  the  British  Parliament  steadily  refuses 
to  the  Roman  Catholics  of  Ireland.  In  both  cases  the  uncon- 
cealed motive  for  meddling  with  education  is  to  inculcate 
religious  views,  with  the  alleged  ulterior  object,  in  both  cases 
conscientiously  believed  in,  of  advancing  the  cause  of  morality. 

Let  me  consider  the  point  which  is  urged,  that  the  Govern- 
ment is  pledged  to  give  way :  let  me  quote  the  words  of  the 
Charter : 

Para.  6i.  We  look  forward  to  a  time,  when  any  general  system  of  education, 
entirely   provided   by   Government,    may   be   discontinued  with   tlie  gradual 


(     172     ) 

advance  of  the  system  of  grants  in  aid,  and  when  many  of  the  existing 
Government  institutions,  especially  those  of  the  higher  order,  may  be  safely 
closed,  or  transferred  to  the  management  of  local  bodies  under  the  control  of 
and  aided  by  the  State  :  but  it  is  far  from  our  wish  to  check  the  spread  of 
education,  in  the  slightest  degree,  by  the  abandonment  of  a  single  school  to 
probable  decay,  and  we  therefore  entirely  confide  ia  your  discretion,  while 
keeping  this  object  in  view,  to  act  with  caution. 

The  whole  of  the  Despatch  must  be  taken  together.  If 
they  were  found  to  exist  in  any  city,  or  district,  an 
educational  power,  which  had  gradually  grown  up  to  full 
maturity,  and  was  able  to  take  over  charge  of  the  education 
of  the  people,  in  the  same  manner,  and  under  the  same 
conditions  of  neutrality,  by  means  of  an  impartial  Board  of 
Managers,  the  Government  might  be  willing  to  withdraw : 
but  does  such  an  agency  exist  in  any  part  of  India  ?  Would 
it  meet  the  wishes  of  the  Missionaries  to  work  their  schools 
with  a  conscience-clause  ?  Would  they  wish  to  come  under 
the  far  less  gentle,  and  less  sympathetic,  control  of  a  Board 
of  Managers  elected  by  a  majority  of  Hindus  and  Mahometans  ? 
No  other  construction  can  be  placed  upon  this  clause,  and  in 
the  later  Despatch,  para.  46,  we  only  find, 

It  being  hoped,  that  private  schools  aided  by  Government  would  eventually 
take  the  place  universally  of  the  several  classes  of  Government  institutions. 

It  cannot  be  imagined,  that  the  deliberate  closing  of  a 
Government  institution  with  the  avowed  object  of  encouraging 
Missionary  Propagandism  was  contemplated. 

And  supposing  that  the  Government  were  from  financial 
reasons  to  abandon  the  discharge  of  their  duty  (and  I  can 
imagine  no  other  reason),  I  fail  to  see,  that  any  Missionary 
body,  or  aggregate  of  Missionary  bodies,  is  in  a  position  at" 
the  present  moment  in  any  part  of  India  to  maintain  the 
higher  education  of  the  people  with  the  degree  of  permanence, 
which  is  necessary.  The  constituents  of  many  IMissionary 
Societies  would  not  subscribe  to  maintain  the  machinery  of 
secular  education  on  a  great  scale.  A  large  and  highly  paid 
staff,  with  pensions  and  privileges,  is  required,  and  this  would 
cause  a  strain  upon  Missionary  resources,  and  neglect  of  the 
proper  duty  of  direct  Evangelization. 

But  another  ground  is  alleged  for  the  change,  and  a  plea 
put  in  for  the  education  of  the  Masses.  Now  we  have  certain 
information,  that  the  Government  is  not  indifferent  to  the 
education  of  the  Masses. 

The  Duke  of  Argyll,  Secretary  of  State,  writes,  May,  1871,  to 
the  Viceroy  : 

Para.  5.  I  should  be  understood,  as  approving  generally  of  the  main  principle, 
which  runs  through  your  despatch,  that  the  Government  expenditure  should, 
as  far  as  possible,  be  reduced  with  reference  to  the  education  of  those,  who  are 


(     173     ) 

well  able  to  pay  for  themselves,  and  should  be  mainly  directed  to  the  provision 
of  an  elementary  education  for  the  Masses  of  the  people. 

Para.  9.  If  once  we  can  instil  into  the  real  upper  classes  of  India,  that  one 
of  the  main  duties  of  society  is  to  provide  for  the  sound  primary  instruction  of 
the  humbler  classes,  we  shall  lay  the  real  foundation  for  that  general  system  of 
education,  which  it  is  the  desire  of  Your  Excellency's  Government  to  establish. 

Again,  on  June  4,  1873,  he  writes  to  tlie  Viceroy : 

Para.  5.  The  very  difficult  problem  for  solution  in  India  is  the  method  of 
diffusing  education  among  the  Masses  without  injuring  the  success  which  has 
hitherto  attended  collegiate  instruction :  and,'  as  the  State  funds  available  for 
education  are  necessarily  limited,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  any  appre- 
hended transfer  from  one  branch  to  another  should  give  rise  to  considerable 
controversy  and  meet  opposition. 

Para.  9.  In  conclusion,  I  must  express  my  concurrence  with  Your  Excel- 
lency, in  considering  that  the  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Bangal  has  not  departed 
from  the  broad  line  of  educational  policy,  which  has  been  laid  down  by  Her 
Majesty's  Government  during  a  long  series  of  years,  and  in  cordially  approving 
the  steps  His  Honour  has  taken  to  give  a  more  practical  tone  to  education  in 
Bangal.  The  advance,  which  has  been  made  in  the  encouragement  of  the 
primary  instruction  of  the  people  is  also  a  subject  for  congratulation. 

The  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Bangal  writes  to  the  Director 
of  Public  Instruction,  1872  : 

It  is  not  the  policy  of  the  Government  to  discourage  English  or  High  Educa- 
tion, but  it  is  its  policy  not  to  devote  an  entirely  disproportionate  amount  of 
the  funds  at  the  disposal  of  the  Local  Government  to  the  education  of  a  very 
limited  number  of  persons,  to  the  comparative  exclusion  of  the  much  greater 
number,  who  have  equal  claims  on  the  State. 

The  British  Indian  Association  of  Calcutta  thus  memorialized 
the  Viceroy,  June,  1872  : 

Para.  27.  Your  memorialists  beg  to  observe,  that  the  whole  discussion  turns 
not  upon  the  question,  whether  or  not  the  Government  approve  of  higher 
education  in  the  abstract,  but  upon  the  extent,  to  which  they  are  prepared  to 
assist  it.  It  is  a  complete  fallacy  to  suppose,  that  the  higher  education  can 
subsist,  even  in  Lower  Bangal,  much  less  in  other  parts  of  India,  without 
necessary  aid  from  Government.  It  is  enormously  expensive,  and  the  prospects 
of  success  in  life,  held  out  thereby  to  students,  is  exceedingly  small. 

The  People's  Association,  Dacca,  thus  memorialized  the 
Viceroy,  September,  1872  : 

Your  memorialists  are  not  unaware  of  the  fact,  that  reduction  in  grant  of  the 
higher  education  is  said  to  be  owing  to  a  correspondmg  increase  in  that  for 
Mass  education,  but  they  beg  humbly  to  state,  that  a  judicious  management  of 
the  funds  would  enable  Government  to  devote  large  sums  to  the  education  of 
the  Masses  without  starving  High  Education. 

The  Rajshahye  Association  thus  memorialized  the  Viceroy, 
December,  1872  : 

Para.  2.  Some  time  before  the  Government  of  India  passed  a  resolution  to 
the  effect,  that  in  time  to  come  the  Government  would  gradually  withdraw 
State  aid  from  High  Education  in  order  to  apply  the  amount  to  the  promotion 
of  Mass- Education 

The  recent  acts  of  His   Honour   the  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Bangal  have 


(     174    ) 

inspired  your  petitioners  with  serious  fear  and  concern.  His  Honour  at  once  cut 
off  the  collegiate  classes  of  some  colleges,  reduced  the  establishment  of  others. 
His  Honour's  policy  in  reducing  the  State  grant  for  High  Education,  like  that 
of  the  Government  resolution  referred  to  at  the  outset,  is  understood  to  be  with 
a  view  to  promote  Mass  Education. 

Your  Excellency's  petitioners  submit,  that  of  all  the,  reasons,  for  which  the 
people  of  the  country  blessed  the  British  Government,  there  is  none  in  which 
they  have  been  more  unanimous  and  more  earnest  than  for  the  education  given 
by  the  means  of  colleges  and  schools. 

I  have  quoted  these  memorials  to  show,  that  an  endeavour 
had  been  made,  and  was  being  made,  to  reduce  the  sums  spent 
on  Higher  Education,  and  increase  the  amount  spent  on  Mass 
Education,  and  to  point  out,  that  there  is  an  observant  native 
public,  who  would  not  allow  such  a  step  to  be  taken,  as  handing 
over  the  Higher  Education  to  Missionary  control,  without  the 
most  strenuous  and  passionate  resistance,  possibly  endangering 
the  peace  of  the  Empire. 

In  1873,  the  Viceroy  in  Council  reviewed  the  whole  subject 
of  Education,  remarking  as  follows  : 

If  His  Excellency  is  to  understand  any  of  the  memorialists  to  be  of  opinion, 
that  the  need  for  the  extension  and  improvement  of  primary  education  among 
the  Masses  of  the  people  in  Bangal  is  not  urgent,  and  does  not  require  the 
application  to  that  purpose  of  all  savings,  that  may  properly  be  made  in  the 
cost  of  Higher  Education,  His  Excellency  must  express  his  dissent  from  that 
opinion,  and  his  cordial  concurrence  with  the  declaration  made  by  the  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor, that  it  is  the  policy  of  the  Supreme,  and  of  the  Bangal 
Government,  to  promote  and  foster  all  sound  education  ;  but  it  is  the  wish  of 
both  Governments,  that  out  of  the  public  money  available  for  educational 
purposes,  a  larger  share  than  heretofore  should  be  given  to  the  support  of 
elementary  education  in  the  villages  of  Bangal. 

Quotations  could  be  multiplied  to  show,  that  there  wag  a  desire 
to  do  as  much  as  circumstances  would  permit,  and  the  Educational ' 
Budget  could  provide.  It  is,  moreover,  not  probable  that  additional 
grants  in  aid  would  be  given  to  any  Missionary  Higher  Educa- 
tion Institutions  in  the  Presidency  towns,  where  the  people  can 
afford  to  pay  for  the  education  of  their  own  children.  In  the 
extreme  supposition  therefore  of  the  Government  closing  their 
Presidency  colleges,  the  Missionary  Educational  Board  would 
have  to  conduct  their  Institutions  on  commercial  or  benevolent 
principles,  unrecognized  and  unassisted  by  the  State.  Are  they 
prepared  to  do  so  ? 

The  Government  of  India  is  not  unused  to  detraction,  and  to 
the  attacks  of  persons,  who  misunderstand  the  high  principles  of 
administration,  which  it  has  resolutely  maintained.  In  a  work 
published  in  Russia,  M.  Terentief  brings  a  charge  against  the 
British  rulers,  that  they  have  alienated  the  people  by  their 
attempts  to  make  them  Christians.  This  is  the  erroneous  state- 
ment of  a  hostile  critic.  But  a  few  good  and  excellent  Mission- 
aries,  who  enjoy  the  protection  of  the  branches  of  the  great 


(     175    ) 

paternal  tree,  and  who,  if  the  tree  were  cut  down,  would  be 
swept  out  of  India,  by  the  French,  Russian,  or  Native  power, 
which  followed,  have  allovved  themselves  a  licence,  which 
neither  the  principles  of  charity,  nor  their  knowledge  of  the 
subject,  would  warrant,  in  denouncing  the  policy  and  practice 
of  the  Government  of  India.  It  is  with  regret,  that  I  see 
inconsistent  complaints  made  by  pious  and  good  men,  that  the 
Government  in  culpable  .indifference  allows  its  rural  population 
to  live  on  in  ignorant  darkness,  and  too  much  light  to  be  let  in 
upon  the  minds  of  the  youth  of  our  cities.  It  is  difficult  to 
decide  what  such  Missionaries  want.  In  dealing  with  the  rural 
population,  they  deplore  their  intense  ignorance,  apathy,  and 
inability  to  grasp  the  Divine  truth.  In  dealing  with  the  old 
party,  who  cling  to  the  faith  of  their  ancestors,  complaint  is 
made  of  their  bigotry,  the  undue  influence  of  their  priests,  and 
the  debasing  character  of  their  moral  code,  dogma  and  ritual ; 
but,  strange  to  say,  when  a  succession  of  youths  are  turned  out 
from  the  State-Colleges,  imbued  with  Occidental  civilization, 
free  from  the  ignorance  of  the  rural  class,  and  treating  as  dirt 
the  Priests,  the  Veda,  and  the  Koran,  and  with  minds  ready  like 
soft  clay  to  receive  new  impressions,  complaint  is  made  that 
somehow  or  other  this  "Young-India"  has  lost  the  moral 
control  of  the  old  religions,  and  has  not  adopted  that  of  the 
new.  Regret  seems  to  be  felt  for  the  extinction  of  the  Hindu 
religion,  and  attacks  are  made  upon  the  Government  for  their 
Godless  system  of  education.  The  great,  strong,  and  wise 
Government  looks  on  with  pity  rather  than  with  scorn  :  greater  in 
the  high  principles  of  administration  which  it  has  adopted,  than 
in  the  vastness  of  its  dominions,  and  the  numberless  varieties  of 
its  subjects  :  stronger  in  the  integrity,  independence,  and  out- 
spokenness of  its  public  servants,  than  in  its  serried  battalions : 
and  wiser,  less  in  what  it  has  done,  than  what  through  steady 
self-restraint  it  has  abstained  from  doing,  remembering,  that 
it  is  the  only  European  Government  in  Asiatic  countries,  into 
whose  treasuries  the  hoards  of  its  subjects,  though  alien  in  race, 
are  poured  without  fear  of  their  being  misappropriated,  and  to 
whose  schools  parents,  strangers  in  creed, -send  their  children 
without  fear  of  their  tender  consciences  being  tampered  with. 
Confidence  is  of  slow  growth,  and  the  existence  of  the  British 
Empire  depends  upon  the  conviction  of  its  Religious  Neutrality. 
Nor  need  it  be  a  matter  of  surprise,  that  in  the  nineteenth 
century  religious  beliefs  are  undermined  in  India.  It  was  well 
known,  that  such  must  be  the  result  of  education  and  a  free 
press.  The  same  phenomenon  is  evident  in  Free  Italy,  and  Free 
France,  and  to  a  certain  extent  in  Free  England  and  Free 
America.  History  tells  us,  that  the  Roman  Empire  went  through 
a  fearful  period  of  intellectual  doubt,  and  yet  by  God's  grace 


(     176    ) 

Europe  settled  down  into  Christianity.  At  any  rate  it  is  an  evil, 
which  no  government  can  check  or  cure.  The  stone  has  been 
set  rolling,  and  will  go  on  rolling;  for  even,  if  the  British  were 
driven  from  India,  the  British  culture  would  remain,  and,  after 
all,  the  number  of  students  in  the  State-Colleges  is  but  a  drop 
in  the  ocean  of  the  millions  of  India. 

In  a  IMissionary  Periodical  of  July,  1888,  appear  the  following 
remarks  with  regard  to  the  British  Colonists  in  New  Zealand : 

The  towns  are  saturated  with  infidelity  :  the  Church  is  not  holding  its  ground 
among  the  men  :  there  is  a  widespread  impression,  that  the  Bible  has  proved  to 
be  inconsistent  with  itself,  and  with  modern  reason,  and  is  no  longer  to  be 
taken  seriously.  A  generation  of  men  is  springing  up  in  AWu  Zealand  with  no 
religious  belief  of  any  kind.  A  Prime  Minister  has  been  known  to  deliver 
lectures  of  some  ability  against  Christianity. 

Young  India  is  clearly  no  worse  than  young  New  Zealand,  and 
with  more  excuse,  for  the  Hindu  never  knew  Christ,  and  the 
British  Colonists  are  reported  to  have  thrown  Him  off.  I  need 
scarcely  say,  that  the  statements  with  regard  to  both  the  Hindu 
and  New  Zealander  must  be  accepted  with  reserve:  the  present 
generation  are  too  fond  of  generalizing  on  narrow  premises 
of  fact. 

Missionaries  should  consider  well,  whether  the  grants  in  aid 
are  worth  the  heavy  price,  which  they  have  to  pay  for  them  in 
the  secularization  of  their  schools ;  the  crushing-out  of  religious 
teaching  by  the  cast-iron  requirements  of  the  Government 
Inspector  and  University-Tests ;  the  destruction  of  the  spiritu- 
ality and  fervour  of  the  Missionary  by  the  purely  scholastic 
duties  imposed  upon  him  ;  the  small  percentage  of  converts, 
which  such  schools  have  during  a  long  period  of  years  turned 
out ;  the  evil  of  employing  non-Christian  teachers,  and  the 
impossibility  of  finding  a  sufficient  supply  of  Christian  teachers  ; 
the  discontinuance  in  some  schools  of  public  prayer  and  relax- 
ation of  thorough  Christian  teaching,  out  of  deference  to  the 
supposed  feelings  of  the  students  ;  and,  lastly,  the  economical 
question,  whether  the  schools  repay  their  net  cost,  after 
deducting  the  grants  in  aid  and  the  school  fees,  from  an 
evangelizing  point  of  view. 

Let  something  be  done  directly  to  influence  the  intelligent 
and  educated  youth  in  the  State-Colleges.  We  have  special 
missions  to  the  Jews,  and  the  Mahometans ;  why  not  also  to 
the  enfranchised  and  enlightened  Hindu,  who  has  learnt  to 
despise  the  religion  of  his  f'orefathers,  and  has  to  be  taught  the 
better  way }  Let  a  beginning  be  made  with  the  small,  yet 
intelligent,  company  of  Indian  law-students  in  this  city. 
Amiable,  gentle,  and  social,  they  might  be  impressed  with  the 
friendliness  of  Christian  people  during  their  temporary  exile 
from  their  country,   instead  of  being  left  quite  to  themselves. 


(     ^17    ) 

They  frequent  the  meetings  of  learned  societies,  and  are  able  to 
address  audiences  in  the  English  language  ;  and  I  have  heard  a 
Mahometan  of  Bangal  with  singular  simplicity  speak  up  for  the 
purity  of  his  religion,  and,  with  startling  paradox,  for  the  happiness 
of  Mahometan  women.  A  society  called  the  London  Moslem 
Mission  has  been  formed  to  look  after  the  Arab  and  Turkish 
visitors  to  this  city,  but  the  natives  of  India  are  unnoticed,  and 
yet  some  of  them  might,  if  brought  under  proper  Christian  in- 
fluence, be  powerful  auxiliaries  to  the  cause  of  Christian  Missions 
on  their  return  to  India.  The  Oxford  University  Mission  to 
Calcutta  has  attempted,  but  on  extremely  Ritualistic  lines,  to 
make  an  impression  on  the  classes  educated  in  the  State  Colleges 
in  that  city. 

The  existing  policy  of  Religious  Neutrality  is  sometimes 
attributed  to  the  strong  prejudices  of  men  of  the  old  school, 
who  distrust  the  Natives  whom  they  despise,  and  the  Mission- 
aries whom  they  dislike.  Such  is  not  the  case.  I,  and  those 
who  think  with  me,  have  a  very  sincere  attachment  to  the 
Natives,  and  a  feeling  of  gratitude  and  respect  to  the 
Missionaries  for  their  unselfish  labours,  which  everywhere  I 
loudly  proclaim  :  and  yet  no  person  can  oppose  more  earnestly 
than  I  do,  any  attempt  to  place  the  education  of  the  people  of 
India  in  the  hands  of  Missionaries  uncontrolled  by  the  State. 

I  have  heard  a  Missionary  say: 

Only  place  under  my  influence  the  younger  generations,  and  free  them  for 
a  season  from  the  baneful  influence  of  their  homes,  their  priests,  their  bad 
family  customs,  and  associations,  and  I  could  do  much. 

The  State  system  of  education  has  done  this  work :  it  has 
swept  the  Augean  stables  :  the  mischief  of  centuries  is  undone  : 
the  link  of  tradition  is  snapped  :  the  great  giant  Pagan  is  killed  : 
the  Missionary  can  meet  such  trained  intellects  on  a  common 
platform  of  argument.  It  will  scarcely  be  urged,  that  the  cur- 
riculum of  study,  which  is  analogous  to  that  of  a  British 
University,  necessarily  leads  more  to  infidelity  at  Calcutta  than 
at  Oxford.  The  eternal  truths  of  Christianity  are  based  upon 
Reason,  as  well  as  Faith.  In  dealing  with  a  Brahmin  or 
Mahometan,  the  Missionary  has  to  combat  prejudices,  social 
sanctions,  fears,  and  perhaps  honest  belief.  It  surely  cannot  be 
desired,  that  the  standard  of  right  or  objects  of  reverence  of  a  Hindu 
and  Mahometan  population  should  be  maintained.  It  is  for  the 
world's  advantage,  that  they  should  be  weakened  and  die  away. 
Education  is  the  advance  guard  and  pioneer  of  true  religion. 

I  am  not  one  of  those,  who  can  find  no  substratum  of  good  in 
the  two  great  religions  of  India.  I  believe  that,  since  God  in 
His  infinite  wisdom  has  permitted  them  to  exist,  there  must  be 
some  deep-laid  human  element  in  the  systems,  which  has  given 
them  such  a  strange  vitality,  in  that  they  have  outlived  kingdoms 


(     178    ) 

and  dynasties ;  but  I  never  saw  in  the  practice  of  either  any 
guarantee  of  personal  morality,  any  encouragement  to  purity  or 
holiness.  The  most  abandoned  females  take  part  of  their  gains 
to  their  place  of  worship,  and  they  are  received  and  form  part 
of  the  establishment  of  some  of  the  temples.  The  Thug  and 
Murderer  have  their  special  deities.  The  Religious  Leaders 
themselves,  following  the  example  of  their  Gods,  if  Hindu,  and 
of  their  Prophet,  if  Mahometan,  allow  themselves  a  licence  in 
their  private  lives  of  the  most  exceptionable  kind.  The  strong 
arm  of  the  British  Government  has  stamped  out  abominable 
crimes  ;  Native  religious  reformers  have  from  time  to  time 
sprung  up,  like  the  Jewish  prophets,  denouncing  the  absence 
of  the  moral  element :  and  some  Christian  Missionaries  have 
included  in  their  sweeping  censure  the  whole  nation,  and  unjustly 
so  ;  for  those,  who  know  the  rural  population  intimately,  can 
say  a  word  for  their  simple  patriarchal  lives,  the  strength  of 
their  family  affections,  and  their  freedom  from  gross  moral 
blemishes-;  anyhow,  it  is  strange  to  find  Missionaries  shedding 
a  tear  for  the  loss  of  such  moral  sanctions. 

Why  should  discontent  and  disloyalty  arise  from  the  spread 
of  Education  ?  We  heard  such  arguments,  when  Education  was 
first  encouraged  in  Great  Britain  forty  years  ago.  We  know 
how  in  France,  and  in  Great  Britain,  poor  gentlemen  with  large 
families  of  educated  sons  are  at  their  wits'  end  to  find  a  decent 
existence.  Does  it  make  them  disloyal  ?  Even,  if  their  educa- 
tion were  of  the  most  highly  religious  kind,  they  would  equally 
feel  the  want  of  employment  and  means  of  sustenance.  Those, 
■who  rule  India,  know  that  knowledge  is  power,  and  that  by 
educating  their  subjects,  they  are  arming  them,  as  it  were,  for 
future  attempts  to  obtain  political  freedom ;  but  they  have  • 
counted  the  cost,  and  preferred  to  do  their  duty,  whatever  may 
be  the  consequences. 

I  am  free  to  say,  that  it  is  my  wish,  and  the  scope  of  my  en- 
deavour, that  every  native  of  India  should  be  in  the  way  to 
become  Christian,  and  I  should  be  glad  to  see  them  brought 
straightforwardly  under  Missionary  influence.  On  the  door  of 
the  Mission-School  should  be  written  :  "  All  who  enter  here, 
sooner  or  later  must  become  Christians."  But  it  is  another 
thing  to  go  about  the  matter  indirectly,  to  twist  the  obvious 
intent  of  a  great  Charter ;  to  express  a  sort  of  regret  for  the 
extinction  of  a  false  religion  ;  to  fear  for  the  morals  of  youths, 
because  they  have  been  educated  in  all  the  learning  of  the 
British  people  ;  and  to  impute  disloyalty  to  a  few  hundred  youths, 
who  have  preferred  Occidental  to  Oriental  training,  and  have 
availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  of  obtaining  knowledge. 

I  must  reply  to  another  kind  of  argument,  brought  from 
another  point  of  the   compass,  that   the   State  has,   in  effect, 


(     179    ) 

departed  from  the  lines  of  Religious  Impartiality,  because  it 
permits  Morality  and  Science  to  be  taught  in  its  Schools,  which 
must  undermine  all  that  is  immoral  and  false  in  the  Native 
Religions  of  India.  I  could  understand  the  drift  of  this 
argument  from  the  mouth  of  a  Brahmin,  or  a  Mulla,  but  not  of 
a  Missionary.  It  may  be  boldly  stated,  that  all  religious  dogma, 
or  ritual,  which  is  not  grounded  on  Morality,  and  which  is  in- 
consistent with  the  highest  development  of  the  human  intellect, 
is  baseless,  injurious  to  the  well-being  of  society,  and  may, 
without  compunction,  be  left  to  the  slow  and  certain  discipline 
of  Enlightenment,  and  Moral  Progress,  for  the  best  interest  of 
the  human  race  will  be  advanced  by  their  extinction.  But  herein 
is  the  great  strength  of  the  Christian,  and  he,  at  least,  need  not 
protest  against  such  supposed  breach  of  Impartiality,  for  his 
religion  unites  to  the  highest  type  of  Morality,  to  which  the 
ancient  world  attained,  characteristics,  motives,  and  sanctions, 
to  which  human  moralists  never  could  attain,  and  no  sincere 
Christian  fears  the  brightest  light,  or  the  most  scorching  glare, 
which  Science,  Oriental  or  Occidental,  can  let  in  upon  the  truths 
of  his  religion. 

The  God-fearing  and  thoughtful  Christian  Statesman  has  to 
consider  by  doing  what,  or  by  refraining  from  doing  what,  he 
can  prolong  the  existence  of  the  wonderful  Empire  of  Great 
Britain  in  India,  give  free  play  to  British  culture,  opportunity 
for  the  spread  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  planting  the  seeds 
of  constitutional  government.  We  believe,  that  our  religion  is 
the  best,  and  the  most  adapted  for  any  conceivable  type  of  race, 
country,  and  civilization  :  we  know  that  it  spread  over  Europe  in 
defiance  of  rulers,  senates,  and  philosophers  :  we  believe  that 
it  will  do  the  same  in  Asia  and  Africa,  through  the  influence 
of  example,  argument  and  culture.  To  Great  Britain  among 
nations  has  fallen  the  high  privilege  of  being  the  champion  of 
this  new  Crusade,  but  we  have  also  an  example  to  set  to  foreign 
countries  and  future  generations,  of  an  administration  of  subject 
nations  conducted  on  the  most  exalted  principles  of  Justice  and 
Religious  Impartiality  ;  and  we  should  consider  what  our  own 
feelings  would  be,  if  by  any  chance  of  Fortune  our  own  country 
were  to  fall  under  the  control  of  a  Mahometan  Power,  and  our 
children  had  to  remain  uneducated,  or  to  attend  Schools  of 
Mahometan  Propagandists. 

The  oft- repeated  cuckoo-cry,  "Why  should  the  Bible  be  ex- 
cluded from  Secular  Schools  ?  "  scarcely  requires  a  reply,  from 
those,  who  love  the  study  of  that  blessed  book.  What  could  be 
more  humiliating  than  to  degrade  that  book  to  be  the  class  book  of 
children  learning  to  read,  or  to  furnish  the  lesson  to  be  translated 
as  a  task  by  non-Christian  Boys  under  a  non-Christian  Teacher.'* 
We  may  imagine  the  inaccurate,  the  false,  and  the  blasphemous 


(     i8o    ) 

interpretations  put  upon  difficult  passages  :  the  awfully  familiar 
way,  in  which  the  Divine  name  would  be  handled  :  the  sceptical 
tone  in  which  the  Miracles  would  be  alluded  to.  What  profit 
could  come  of  such  teaching  ? 

It  is  with  surprise,  that  I  read  in  the  pages  of  the  Missionary 
Herald  of  the  American  Board  for  July,  1888  (placed  in  my 
hands  while  I  am  correcting  this  Essay),  such  expressions  as  the 
following : 

It  is  bad  enough,  that  the  Gospel  is  ignored  in  Government  Institutions  in 
India. 

While  we  profoundly  regret  on  Missionary  grounds  the  course  so  largely 
adopted  in  the  Colleges  and  Universities  of  India. 

What  does  this  mean  }  Can  the  citizens  of  a  free  Republic 
wish,  that  we  should  levy  taxes  without  representation  from  a 
heathen  people,  and  then  by  legislation  without  the  concurrence 
of  popular  assemblies  try  and  convert  by  the  means  of  State 
Education  the  children  from  their  ancestral  faith  ? 

I  have  carefully  perused  the  Recommendations  of  the  Com- 
mission on  Education  in  India  held  in  1883,  and  the  Resolution 
passed  upon  it  under  the  Viceroyalty  of  Lord  Ripon.  That  it  has 
brought  the  practice  of  the  Educational  Department  into  con- 
formity with  the  principles  of  the  great  Charter  of  1854,  has 
encouraged  the  system  of  Grants  in  aid,  and  insisted  on  a  much 
larger  extension  of  Education  to  the  Masses,  I  rejoice  ;  but  I 
fail  to  see  what  possible  advantage  Missionary  Associations 
desired  to  obtain,  or  have  obtained,  from  this  inquiry.  On  the 
contrary,  I  anticipate  a  very  contrary  effect,  as  it  was  obvious  to 
the  Hindu  and  Mahometan,  that  Proselytism  was  the  object, 
which  induced  a  certain  section  of  the  Missionary  bodies  to 
take  up  the  matter.  They  had  little  worldly  interest  in  India^ 
and  it  is  not  obvious,  why  they  should  press  an  extension  of  the 
Education  of  the  masses,  unless  they  wished  to  obtain  facilities 
for  doing  so  themselves,  or  why  they  wished  the  State -Colleges 
to  be  closed,  unless  they  wished  to  supply  their  places  with 
Propagandist  Institutions.  If  a  Council,  consisting  of  Jesuit 
Priests,  had  pressed  a  measure  of  this  kind  upon  Lord  Ripon, 
the  Protestant  Jealousy  would  have  been  roused.  The  Roman 
Catholic  Bishops  of  British  India  knew  the  policy  of  the  British 
Government  too  well  to  be  at  all  alarmed  at  the  possibility  of 
their  departing  from  a  policy  of  sympathetic  tolerance. 

The  proportion  of  numbers  of  the  non-Christian  to  the 
Christian  population  in  British  India  is  overwhelming.  What 
chance  would  a  small  Hindu  or  INIahometan  colony  in  London 
have  against  the  School  Board  in  London }  It  is  with  the 
greatest  difficulty,  that  elective  Guardians  of  the  Poor  can  be 
brought  to  treat  the  religious  requirements  of  their  Roman 
Catholic     fellow-subjects    in    London    with     ordinary    justice. 


(     i8i     ) 

I  imagine  that  the  Missionary  will  find  in  the  School-Boards 
consisting  of  a  great  majority  of  Hindu,  Mahometan,  Brahmoist, 
and  Atheist,  much  bitterer  antagonists  then  he  has  found  in  the 
State-Inspector  of  Schools :  they  will  find  King  Stork  has 
succeeded  to  King  Log.  Already  in  some  of  the  great  towns 
we  hear  of  symptoms,  that  Young  India  will  not  submit  to  any 
insidious  way  of  converting  their  children.  The  Lord's  battle 
must  be  waged  openly,  and  directly,  not  in  the  form  of  a 
somewhat  cheaper  secular  Education.  The  Gospel  must  not 
be  sandwiched  betwixt  Moral  Phdosophy  and  Mathematics. 

The  Viceroy  of  India,  Lord  Dufiferin,  has  this  very  year,  1888, 
published  a  Resolution  on  Discipline  and  Moral  Training  in 
State-Schools  and  Colleges.  Ordinarily  Morals  rest  upon  the 
Sanction  of  Religion.  In  educated  India  that  fulcrum  is 
wanting.  In  Aided  Schools  there  is  entire  freedom  of  religious 
instruction,  and  it  is  anticipated,  that  the  number  of  such 
institutions  will  be  indefinitely  increased,  whether  Christian, 
Mahometan,  Hindu,  or  severely  Secular  and  Atheistical.  In 
State-supported  Schools  Religion  is  positively  forbidden.  The 
Education  Commission  recommended,  that  an  attempt  should  be 
made  to  compile  a  Moral  Text-Book,  based  on  the  fundamental 
principles  of  Natural  Religion,  which  underlies  all  Dogma,  and 
the  Secretary  of  State  has  ordered,  that  this  shall  be  practically 
enforced,  notwithstanding  the  acknowledged  difficulties,  and 
danger  of  offending  the  feelings  of  the  difi'erent  sections  of  the 
population.  Coupled  with  this  is  the  duty  of  maintaining 
proper  school-discipline,  or,  as  the  Viceroy's  Resolution  puts 
it,  a  system  of  teaching,  having  a  direct  bearing  upon  personal 
conduct. 

As  no  doubt  Western  civilization  is  sapping  the  framework  of 
Indian  Society,  endeavour  must  be  made  to  lay  the  foundation 
of  reconstruction :  the  old  order  of  things  must  be  replaced  by 
a  newer  and  a  better.  Western  Education  is  not  wholly  destructive, 
for  it  brings  with  it  in  the  long  run  Western  principles  of  dis- 
cipline and  self-constraint.  The  intellectual  part  of  the  Educa- 
tional process  has  made  good  progress  :  it  remains  to  produce 
that  moral  element,  which  forms  the  most  prominent  factor  of 
the  European  theory  of  Education. 

Such  sentiments  as  the  above  I  collect  from  the  Resolution 
of  the  Viceroy.  Scores  of  men  in  Europe,  and  North  America, 
are  totally  devoid  of  the  Religious  element,  though  educated  in 
schools,  and  colleges,  and  yet  they  discharge  the  functions  of 
good  citizens.  The  duty  of  the  State  as  Educator  goes  no 
further.  The  moral  sentiments  of  such  men  have  not  the  sanction 
of  Religious  convictions,  and  yet  such  moral  sentiments  un- 
mistakably exist.  The  moral  conscience  of  Young  India  during 
the  transition   Period  must  rest  upon  the  intellectual  and  moral 


(     i82     ) 

training  of  the  State  Educational  Institutions,  supplemented  by 
such  portions  of  the  Aided  Institutions,  as  are  managed  upon 
Christian  principles.  If  they  do  good,  the  Aided  Institutions 
managed  by  the  Hindu,  Mahometan,  the  Agnostic  and  Theo- 
sophist,  will  do  infinite  mischief.  What  moral  sentiments  can 
be  inculcated  in  such  schools,  though  they  may  exist  independent 
of  all  schools  from  the  contact  and  social  environment  of  fellow- 
men  ?  The  more  Protestant  or  Roman  Catholic  Aided  Schools 
that  are  started,  the  greater  will  be  the  number  of  the  Rival 
Non-Christian  Establishments. 

I  cannot  recommend  the  great  Protestant  Missionaries  to 
enter  upon  such  hazardous  enterprizes  on  the  chance  of  a 
chance  convert  coming  out :  their  funds  would  be  more 
profitably  spent  in  direct  methods  of  Gospel-teaching.  If,  as 
time  goes  on,  it  be  deemed  a  necessity  to  counteract  the 
annually  increasing  power  of  Educated  Anti-Christendom,  let 
a  separate  Christian  Education  Society  be  established  in  London 
on  a  Catholic  basis  of  all  the  Protestant  Churches.  Such  action 
would  be  continuous,  and  intelligible:  if  it  be  possible  to  stem 
the  stream  of  Educated  Atheism,  by  such  means  success  might 
be  obtained.  Considering  the  phenomena  presented  by  Great 
Britain  and  France,  it  seems  doubtful. 

A  craze,  or  fantastical  notion,  is  never  so  thoroughly  exposed 
as  by  the  statements  of  the  extreme  party  of  those  who  hold 
the  opinion.  I  commend  to  notice  the  following  extract  from 
the  Times  Correspondent  at  Calcutta,  in  May  of  this  year,  1888  : 

At  the  last  criminal  sessions,  after  a  long  trial,  a  Bangal  youth  of  good 
position  was  found  guilty  of  murdering  his  father,  a  well-known  doctor 
practising  in  Calcutta.  Parricide  is  a  crime  almost  unknown  among  Hindus, 
and  this  trial  has  therefore  created  a  feeling  of  profound  horror,  especially 
among  the  more  conservative  sections  of  the  Hindus.  These  men  have  been 
complaining  bitterly  for  some  time  of  the  demoralizing  influences  of  the  present 
system  of  education.  While  the  ethical  sanctions  of  the  Hindu  religion  are 
being  loosened  or  destroyed  by  a  purely  secular  and  scientific  education,  no 
precepts,  either  religious  or  moral,  are  permitted  to  take  their  place.  The 
urgency  of  social  reform  in  this  and  other  respects  is  becoming  day  by  day  a 
question  of  paramount  interest  to  that  portion  of  the  Hindu  community  which 
views  with  dread  the  growing  immorality  of  the  younger  generation,  and  this 
case  has  had  the  effect  of  focussing  native  opinion  on  the  subject. 

This  reminds  me  of  Pope,  the  poet's,  famous  satirical  lines : 

What  filled  the  Butchers'  shops  with  large  blue  flies? 

The  punishment  of  a  parricide  in  ancient  Rome  was  to  be 
sown  up  in  a  sack  with  an  ape  and  a  viper  and  thrown  into  the 
Tiber.  The  crime  is  so  abnormal,  so  contrary  to  human  nature, 
that  I  fear  that  no  kind  of  education  would  provide  against  it. 
Archdeacon  Johnson,  the  Negro  Superintendent  of  the  Upper 
Niger,  told  me  that  a  man  knocked  his  mother  on  the  head, 


(     183     ) 

because  she  was  troublesome,  and  could  not  understand  that  he 
had  done  wrong.  On  the  other  hand,  the  terrible  stories  of  the 
Houses  of  Pelops  and  Atreus,  testify  that  the  early  Greeks,  Pagan 
as  they  were,  had  a  right  conception  of  the  crime.  A  few  years 
ago  I  heard  a  Sermon  in  the  pulpit  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral 
attributing  the  immorality  of  a  portion  of  the  female  popu- 
lation of  London  to  the  Board-Schools,  and  I  imagine  that  the 
allegation  of  the  connection  of  the  crime  of  Parricide  with  the 
system  of  Secular  Instruction  in  British  India  is  as  possibly 
real,  or  probably  as  grossly  false,  as  the  Sermon  ! 


SriiPUEN   AUSTIN    ANU   SONS,   PRINTERS,   HERTFORD. 


^otes  on  i^tsstonar^  ^ubjetts;. 


.  part  EIL 

RELATION    OF    MISSIONARIES    TO 
THE   OUTER   WORLD. 


MISSIONS     AND     SCIENCE, II.      BOARD     OF    MISSIONS    IN    A     NATIONAL 

CHURCH. III.      ERRORS     TO     BE     AVOIDED. IV.      RELATION     OF 

MISSIONARIES  TO  GREAT  EUROPEAN  AND  ASIATIC  GOVERNMENTS. 

V.     RELATION    OF    MISSIONARIES   TO    BARBAROUS    SOVEREIGNS 

AND     PETTY    CHIEFS. VI.     RELIGIOUS     TOLERATION. VII.     THE 

LIBRARY    OF    THE    MISSIONARY. 


ROBERT   NEEDHAM    CUST,   LL.D., 

LATE    MEMBER    OF    H.M.    INDIAN    CIVIL    SERVICE,    MEMBER    OF    COMMITTEES    OF    BRITISH    AND 

FOREIGN  BIBLF.  SOCIETY  AND  CHURCH   MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.    MEMBER  OF    TRANSLATION 

COMMITTEE      OF      SOCIETY      FOR       PROMOTING      CHRISTIAN      KNOWLEDGE, 

INCORPORATED    MEMBER     OF     SOCIETY     FOR     THE     PROPAGATION 

OF  THE   GOSPEL,    AND    HONORARY    SECRETARY    OF    THE 

ROYAL   ASIATIC   SOCIETY. 


LONDON : 
ELLIOT    STOCK,    62,    PATERNOSTER   ROW. 

1888. 
All  Ricrhfs  Reserved. 


HERTFOkD : 

PRINTED    BY   STEPHEN    Al'STlN    AND    SONS. 


TO    THE 

COMMITTEES  OF  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES 

Wqzu  Pagrs 

ARE  DEDICATED 

AS  A    WARNING   AND    AN 

EN  CO  URA  CEMENT. 


PREFACE   TO    PART    III. 


I  AM  seated  in  front  of  a  Bookcase,  on  which  the 
Reports  of  all  the  most  important,  and  a  great  many 
of  the  less  important,  Missionary  Societies  in  the  World 
are  ranged  in  different  shelves  by  Nationality,  and 
Denomination.  In  the  carton-boxes  of  my  Cabinet  are 
arranged  cuttings  and  Manuscript-extracts,  the  result 
of  many  years'  reading,  exceeding  thirty.  Many  thoughts 
come  over  me :  the  memory  of  scores  of  good  excellent 
men,  who  have  gpne  before  :  admiration  for  the  work  : 
love  for  Christ,  love  for  the  poor  Heathen,  love  for  the  Mis- 
sionary. My  notebook  is  filled  with  extracts,  memoranda, 
and  reflections,  jotted  down  long  ago.  The  subject  is  not 
a  craze  of  my  old  age,  but  the  serious  work  of  my  life, 
since  Bishop  Daniel  Wilson  of  Calcutta  taught  me  my 
first  lesson  in  1843,  and  I  made  my  first  Missionary  friend, 
John  Newton  of  Ludiana,  in  1844,  who  is  in  the  field 
still,  for  I  heard  from  him  last  month,  working  on,  till 
his  summons  comes. 

The  Missionary  goes  out  as  a  very  young  man  :  a  large 
majority  have  never  undergone  the  discipline  of  a  Public 
School  or  University  :  they  find  themselves  face  to  face 
with  gigantic  problems  beyond  the  conception  of  their 
stay-at-home  friends.  Many  of  them  do  not  recollect, 
that  at  least  in  the  dawn  of  their  powers  of  usefulness 
the  Lord  requires  an  undivided  consecration  of  heart, 
and  talents,  and  have  blindly  entangled  themselves  with 
earthly  ties,  and  human  affections,  which  distract  them 
from  the  absorbing  duty  of  saving  souls.     Some,  just  as. 


(  X  ) 

after  undergoing  a  long  pupilage,  they  begin  to  be  useful, 
owing  to  the  illness  of  a  wife  or  child,  or  the  prospect  of 
a  comfortable  parsonage  or  manse  at  home,  forget  their 
first  love,  and  turn  their  back  on  the  plough.  Some  few 
glorious  old  men  remain,  refusing  to  leave  their  bodies 
out  of  the  country,  to  which  they  have  devoted  their 
earliest,  unbroken,  and  lasting  affection.  The  Metropolitan 
of  Canada  closed  his  memorable  speech  in  St.  James's 
Hall,  London,  on  July  lo,  with  the  words:  "God  helping 
"  me,  I  hope  soon  to  return  to  my  Diocese,  and,  in 
"  the  spirit  of  Ruth,  there  will  I  be  buried  :  the  Lord 
"  do  so  to  me  and  more  also,  if  aught  but  Death  part 
"  thee  and  me." 

The  tendency  of  all  Missionaries  is  to  be  narrow- 
minded,  and  form  superficial  opinions,  from  want  of 
opportunity  of  all-round  study,  a  wider  observation, 
free  discussion,  and  sharp  intellectual  rubs  with  all 
sorts  and  conditions  of  men,  men  of  a  turn  of  mind, 
and  experience,  differing  from  their  own.  Some  Mis- 
sionaries are  very  superior  men,  the  giants  of  their 
time  :  the  great  majority  are  not  so,  but  they  are  good 
Evangelists  notwithstanding. 

Bringing  Indian  experience  to  bear  upon  circumstances 
in  other  countries,  I  have  tried  to  discuss  certain  matters 
impartially,  and  invite  downright  criticism.  We  can  no 
longer  treat  Missionary  operations  as  above  or  below 
candid  criticism,  when  they  are  forced  upon  the  public 
notice  in  the  public  papers,  in  Parliament,  on  Platforms, 
and  an  abundant  literature.  Missions,  like  those  of  the 
Moravian  Missionary  Society,  or  of  the  American  Societies 
to  their  indigenous  wild  tribes,  might  be  conducted  for 
centuries  without  public  notice ;  but  the  Evangelizing 
warfare  all  round  Africa,  all  over  Oceania,  into  the  heart 
of  India,  China  and  Japan,  by  at  least  two  thousand 
Agents,  at  a  cost  exceeding  two  Millions  annually,  cannot 
escape  notice. 


.   (      xi      ) 

When  the  /^//^  sailed  with  the  first  British  Missionaries 
in  1792,  to  the  South  Seas,  nothing  was  heard  of  it  for 
a  year,  and  information  canne  at  such  uncertain  intervals, 
that  the  fact  of  the  Mission  existing  was  forgotten  :  but 
Missions  are  now  a  P'actor,  a  Power,  and  a  Science  :  every 
Steamer  is  crowded  with  Male  and  Female  Missionaries. 
There  is  a  dark  side  in  the  narratives  of  Murders  and 
Deaths,  that  reach  the  Public  Press,  and  a  darker  still, 
that  never  gets  beyond  the  Committee-Room. 

It  must  needs  be,  that  mistakes  are  made,  but  they 
need  not  be  perpetuated.  If  some  of  the  objectionable 
practices  of  Roman  Catholic  Missions  were  faithfully 
commented  upon  by  an  observant  Roman  Catholic  com- 
munity, they  would  not  be  persisted  in.  I  instance  as  one 
the  systematic  purchase  of  Negro  children  described  in 
Part  II.  Essay  II.:  if  I  live  to  complete  Part  V.,  I  shall 
have  something  more  to  describe.  Hard  words  are  often 
spoken  against  Missions,  and  whole  classes  of  the  com- 
munity from  deep  prejudice  hold  back  from  their  support. 
It  is  in  their  interest,  their  positive  advantage,  that  the 
phenomena  arising  should  be  explained,  that  the  tenden- 
cies should  be  exposed,  that  the  blots  should  be  hit,  and 
the  dangers  pointed  out.  The  Jesuit  Mission  of  last 
Century  in  Paraguay  would  not  have  persisted  in  the 
course,  which  led  to  their  ruin,  if  some  faithful  Priest 
had  cried  out  in  time,  and  warned  them  against  the 
dangerous  policy  of  arming  their  converts,  and  waging 
war  against  an  European  Power,  the  Portuguese.  Does 
not  History  seem  to  repeat  itself?  The  eternal  laws  of 
Toleration,  of  doing  unto  others  what  we  wish  that  men 
should  do  unto  us,  require  appealing  to  each  Century.  I 
read,  and  listen,  to  proposals  made  in  good  faith  by 
benevolent  men,  which,  with  what  seems  to  me  certainty, 
would  lead  on  to  deplorable  consequences.  Is  every  white 
man  to  domineer  over  every  dark-skinned  in  every  part 
of  the  world,  simply  because  he  is  a  white  man,  and  usurp 


(     xii      ) 

a  secular  jurisdiction  in  the  heart  of  a  great  Continent, 
because  he  is  commissioned  by  pious  men  in  a  distant 
country  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ  ? 

The  last  two  decades  have  been  exceedingly  propitious 
to   the   extension   of   Missions :    the    expansion    has   been 
marvellous,   but   much   of   it  very  imprudent.     The  next 
two  decades  may  prove  periods  of  trial  and  peril  :  by  the 
close  of  that  period  the  European  octopus  will  have  closed 
over  the  Continent  of  Africa,  as  it  has  already  over  Oceania, 
and  America.     Many  enterprizes  have  been   commenced 
with  light-heartedness,  which  it  may  be  difficult  to  main- 
tain without  bloodshed.     I  took  part  in  my  youth  in  the 
annexation  of  vast  provinces  in  British  India,  but  careful 
arrangements    were    previously    made  :     posts    occupied, 
which  supported  each  other,  and  an  overwhelming  military 
force  kept  in  hand  by  a  fixed  and  settled  policy.      Mis- 
sionary Societies,  on  the  contrary,  have  settled  down  here 
and  there,  without  fixed  policy,  without  any  conception  of 
the  policy  of  having  supports  in  the  rear;  they  have  been, 
like  the  down  of  a  thistle,  blown  here  and  there  by  the 
wind :  they  have  roused  the  antagonism  of  desperate  and 
bloodthirsty    men,    and    the    suspicions    of    ignorant    and 
reckless  Chieftains :   in  their  platform-speeches  in  England 
they  have  allowed  themselves  full    licence  of  speech    in 
abusing   European,  Asiatic,  or  African    Potentates,  quite 
regardless    of  the   diffusion    of    information    through    the 
Press.     They  have   tried    to    induce    Governments    to    be 
drawn  into  their  difficulties.     They  must  not  be  surprised, 
if  they  have  a  more  difficult  game  to  play,  than  if  they 
had  gone  into  the  country,  like  the  humble  and  peaceful 
Moravian,  or  some  of  the  better  managed  Roman  Catholic 
Missions,  where  the  Missionary  has  settled   down  amidst 
the  people,  and  become  of  them,  submitting  to  the  authority 
of  the  country,  by  whose  permission  they  had  gained  an 
entrance.    And  this  is  the  true  type  of  a  real  Missionar}', 
who  knows  nothing  but  Christ. 


CHRISTIAN   MISSIONS   AND  SCIENCE. 

Nearly  three  years  ago  my  lamented  friend,  Dr.  J.  O.  Means, 
Secretary  of  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  Boston, 
United  States,  sent  me  the  Ely-  Volume,  or  the  Contributions  of 
Foreign  Missions  to  Science  and  Human  Well-being,  by  Dr.  Thomas 
Laurie.  It  was  compiled,  and  published  at  the  expense  of  Mr. 
Alfred  Ely,  a  friend  of  Missions,  who  felt,  that  the  amount  of 
scientific  information  given  to  the  world  incidentally  by  Mission- 
aries was  not  fully  known.  The  goodly  volume  before  me  is  a 
treasure  of  information,  and  is  worthy  of  notice.  It  relates 
chiefly  to  the  work  of  American  Missionaries ;  but  "  ex  uno 
disce  omnes."  A  similar  volume  might  be  compiled  of  the 
incidental  contributions  to  Science,  and  the  well-being  of  the 
human  race,  by  the  Missionaries  of  every  Missionary  Society, 
for  the  Missionary  is  by  the  very  necessity  of  his  existence  a 
benefactor  to  mankind. 

The  Missionary's  first  duty,  and  sole  duty,  is  to  preach  the 
Gospel,  and  evangelize  the  non-Christian,  and  he  should  never  for 
one  moment  let  go  of  this  leading  and  paramount  object:  still,  in 
spite  of  himself,  he  finds  opportunities  to  do  other  good  things, 
and  by  so  doing  he  is  able  to  conciliate  to  himself  the  favour  of 
those,  whose  eyes  are  darkened,  and  to  whom  the  grace  has  not 
been  conceded  to  know,  that  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  non- 
Christian  is  the  highest  duty  and  greatest  privilege  of  all,  who  call 
themselves  Christians.  Thus  many  messengers  of  Gospel-truth 
have  developed  scholarly  aptitudes,  have  shown  themselves  to  be 
great  philologists ;  have  been  ardent  champions  of  the  rights  of 
an  oppressed  people,  and  bold  denouncers  of  bad  customs  and 
laws.  Governors  of  Provinces,  and  rulers  of  Native  States,  have 
had  the  fact  forced  upon  them,  that  in  their  midst  there  was  an 
unselfish,  and  yet  dauntless,  man,  who  seemed  to  know  some 
things  better  than  his  neighbours,  and  who  had  established  an 


(      2      ) 

influence  over  the  Natives,  of  a  different  kind  to,  and  yet  not 
less  strong  than  their  own,  and  after  some  hesitation  tlieir  co- 
operation has  been  accepted,  or  solicited.  It  is  obvious,  that  in 
British  India  the  Missionary  element  is  frankly  recognized,  as  a 
factor  in  the  body  politic,  and  utihzed  as  such.  In  independent 
States,  such  as  China,  their  power  is  daily  increasing,  and  amidst 
the  tribes  of  Africa  and  Oceania  they  very  soon  acquired  a 
power,  which  it  requires  prudence  to  wield  properly. 

In  the  Ely- Volume  chapters  are  devoted  to  the  work  of 
Missionaries  in  the  Departments  of  Geography,  Geology, 
Meteorology,  Natural  Science,  Archaeology,  Philology,  Ethno- 
logy and  Religious  Beliefs,  General  Literature,  Bible-Transla- 
tions, Education,  Medical  Science,  and  General  Philanthropy. 
In  the  Appendices  are  tables  of  the  copious  literature,  which  has 
flowed  from  their  pens.  Those,  who  are  connected  with  the 
j\Ianagement  of  Missionary  Societies,  or  have  lived  for  years 
among  Missionaries  in  the  field,  scarcely  need  to  be  informed 
on  the  subject,  but  to  those,  who  scornfully  ignore  the  existence 
of  such  Societies,  or  undervalue  their  labours,  and  think  poorly 
of  their  agents,  such  a  book  as  this  must  come  as  a  revelation. 
The  civil  and  military  services  of  British  India  are  notoriously 
a  body  of  men  of  marked  talent  and  accomplishments,  but  it 
may  be  doubtful,  whether  the  out-turn  of  their  combined  labours 
within  a  given  period  would  surpass  that  of  an  equal  number  of 
Missionaries. 

In  considering  the  subject  of  contributions  to  Geographical 
Science  the  compiler  enumerates,  with  just  pride,  in  great  detail, 
all  that  the  American  Missionaries  have  done  towards  the  ex- 
ploration of  America,  Oceania,  Asia,  and  Africa.  No  one,  who 
has  watched  the  progress  of  Geography  for  the  last  quarter  of  a 
century,  can  fail  to  acknowledge,  how  much  directly,  and 
indirectly,  the  Missionary  has  done  to  extend  our  knowledge. 
He  is  not  a  mere  traveller,  hurrying  through  unknown  regions, 
and  unable  to  communicate  with  the  inhabitants ;  but  he  is 
a  sojourner  in  those  regions,  able  to  test  the  accuracy  of  his 
information,  to  map  down  the  routes  actually  traversed,  and  to 
record,  with  a  certain  degree  of  approximate  accuracy,  routes 
taken  down  from  the  lips  of  Native  merchants.  The  Proceedings 
of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society,  and  of  kindred  European 
Societies,  teem  with  narratives  compiled  by  Missionaries.  I 
have  myself  prompted  and  encouraged  the  preparation  of  such 
papers,  more  especially  in  Africa.  To  those,  who  have  their 
eyes  fixed  on  the  world,  as  on  a  chess-board,  the  name  of 
Livingstone  stands  conspicuous  above  that  of  any  other  Mis- 
sionary of  ancient  and  modern  times,  from  the  epoch  of 
Rubruquis  the  Franciscan  in  1253  to  the  date  of  Krapf,  who 
mounted  a  high  tower  at  Mombasa,  and  looked  out  over  Eastern 


(     3     ) 

Equatorial  Africa,  and  set  the  ball  rolling,  which  led  to  the 
unveiling  of  the  great  Lakes  of  the  Equator.  It  is  without  any- 
feeling  of  boasting,  or  undue  rivalry,  that  the  Missionary 
Societies  read  the  names  of  their  agents  amidst  the  successful 
explorers  of  the  age.  Nor  do  the  Committees  consider  the 
money  misapplied,  which  popularizes  in  the  eye  of  the  learned 
world  their  efforts  to  evangelize,  and  at  the  same  time  opens  out 
new  vistas  of  usefulness,  .and  gives  to  new  tribes  the  opportunity 
of  hearing  the  Gospel. 

The  contributions  to  the  Science  of  Geology,  quoted  by  the 
compiler  of  the  Ely- Volume,  are  not  numerous  or  important, 
nor  am  I  able  to  add  to  them  as  regards  other  Missionary 
Societies,  The  tables  of  Meteorological  observations,  recorded 
by  the  American  Missionaries  in  Western  Asia,  seem  to  be  of  the 
highest  value,  and  it  would  be  worth  the  consideration  of  the 
Royal  Society,  whether  the  assistance  of  all  the  Missionaries  of 
Great  Britain,  scattered  as  they  are  in  hundreds  all  over  the  face 
of  the  globe,  in  regions  of  extreme  heat  and  of  intense  cold,  at 
considerable  altitudes,  and  again  on  the  sea-level,  could  not  be 
utilized.  The  trouble  would  be  very  inconsiderable,  and  the 
record  of  the  temperature  and  the  climatic  changes  would  be  of 
the  highest  interest  to  the  Mission,  as  conducive  to  the  choice 
of  the  healthiest  stations,  and  the  adoption  of  suitable  pre- 
cautions and  appliances.  I  am  not  aware,  whether  any  registers 
have  been  systematically  maintained  in  any  of  the  stations  of 
any  Missionary  Societies.    The  subject  is  worthy  of  attention. 

The  American  Missionaries  appear  to  have  been  contributors 
to  Natural  Science.  It  is  not  pretended,  that  a  Missionary  can 
have  the  leisure,  or  the  technical  knowledge,  to  be  a  thorough 
naturalist,  but  some  gifted  men  have  been  accurate  and  intelligent 
observers.  Science  is  now  prosecuted  too  thoroughly  to  admit 
of  much  untrained  help,  and  it  has  been  remarked,  that  the 
contributions  of  Missionaries  on  Natural  History  lacked  that 
accurate  knowledge  and  detail,  which  are  now  requisite.  It  is 
remarkable,  that  among  the  American  Missionaries  there  should 
have  been  men  devoted  to  their  proper  work,  and  yet  zealous 
ornithologists,  naturalists,  and  conchologists,  taking  the  latter 
work  by  way  of  restful  and  healthful  recreation,  without  which 
they  would  not  have  retained  cheerfulness  and  vigour.  When  I 
read  of  800  specimens  of  birds,  and  many  hundred  specimens 
of  shells,  and  essays  contributed  to  scientific  journals,  I  begin 
to  doubt,  whether  it  is  wise  to  yield  to  the  fascination  of 
inquiries,  so  wholly  alien  from  the  work  of  teaching  the  Gospel. 
No  conscientious  public  officer  in  India  would,  I  think,  be  able 
to  lend  himself  to  such  pursuits  without  dereliction  of  his  secular 
duties.  I  have  heard  a  Viceroy  condemn  a  man,  because  he  had 
an  absorbing  passion  for  some  inquiry  alien  to  his  duty,  and  I 


(     4     ) 

remember  the  circumstance  of  a  man  being  passed  over  for 
promotion,  because  he  was  too  devoted  to  his  photographing 
machine.  These  were  not  the  acts  of  a  Philistine,  or  of  a  man 
without  sympathy  for  Science,  but  of  a  wise  ruler,  who  knew, 
that  it  was  dangerous  for  an  administrator,  to  have  a  taste  for 
anything  but  the  trade  of  ruling  men,  and  caring  for  the  men 
ruled.  For  twenty-five  years  I  had  to  roll  up,  and  put  away, 
one  or  two  particular  talents  in  a  napkin,  and  I  should  recom- 
mend faithful  INIissionaries,  who  have  a  single  eye  to  their 
blessed  vocation,  to  place  away  such  talents,  if  they  have  them. 
I  should  not  think  highly  of  them,  if  I  came  upon  them  in  the 
act  of  stuffing  birds,  or  transfixing  butterflies. 

Under  the  next  head  of  Archaeology  much  is  said  of  the 
contributions  to  Science  made  by  American  Missionaries ;  and 
the  circumstance  of  their  having  large  and  important  INIissions 
in  Turkey  in  Asia,  a  country  teeming  with  records  of  the  past, 
has  enabled  them  to  advance  knowledge.  One  positive  addition 
to  our  knowledge  was  made  by  the  discovery  and  the  careful 
description  of  the  famous  Nestorian  monument  of  Singan  Fu 
in  China  ;  but  even  this  falls  into  the  shade,  when  brought  into 
comparison  with  the  magnificent  discovery  of  the  IMoabite  Stone 
by  one  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society's  agents,  and  the 
discovery  of  the  Hittite  Inscription  by  a  Presbyterian  Missionary. 

"  Paulo  majora  canamus."  When  we  come  to  the  chapter  on 
Philology  and  Bible-Translation,  we  recognize  the  imposing 
results  of  the  work  of  the  Missionary  in  his  own  legitimate  field. 
Leibnitz,  when  he  formed  the  plan  of  the  National  Academy  at 
Berlin,  anticipated  this  phenomenon.  He  made  it  a  prominent 
object  of  the  National  Association  for  Literature  and  Science, 
that  a  zeal  for  extending  the  Gospel  to  the  Heathen  might  be 
encouraged  over  the  whole  earth,  for  Literature  and  Science 
were  according  to  him  to  be  an  important  means  for  attaining 
this  object,  since  Christian  and  Heathen  would  reap  mutual 
benefit.  Literature  and  Science  would  aid  the  Missionary,  who 
in  his  turn  w^ould  send  home  knowledge  of  new  facts  from 
distant  fields.  The  name  of  Leibnitz  had  great  influence  in 
introducing  the  same  idea  into  other  continental  academies. 
The  least  efficient  of  the  agents  of  a  IMissionary  Society  should 
be  able  to  converse  with,  and  instruct  his  people  in  their  own 
vulgar  tongue.  Anything  short  of  this  is  a  mockery.  I  hear 
with  great  mistrust  of  Missionaries  to  aboriginal  tribes  in  India, 
or  to  the  barbarous  tribes  of  Africa  and  Oceania,  making  use  of 
an  interpreter,  or  insulting  a  tribe  by  educating  the  children  in 
a  language  not  known  to  their  parents,  but  which  the  Missionary 
happens  to  have  learnt.  Imagine  the  process  of  a  Sunday-school 
in  England,  in  which  an  interpreter  was  used  to  explain  the 
words  of  the  teacher  to  the  children,  or  the  children  taught 


(    5    ) 

indifferent  French  and  German  so  as  to  be  able  to  understand 
their  teachers.  Imagine  the  difficulty  of  arguing  upon  the  most 
solemn  truths  of  man's  Salvation,  which  a  Missionary  must  feel, 
who  has  not  mastered,  hot  only  the  leading  language,  but  the 
patois,  of  his  flock.  I  repeat  then,  that  the  least  efficient  of  a 
Society's  agents  should  understand  and  speak  the  Vernacular. 
But  from  their  ranks  at  all  periods,  of  all  nations,  and  belonging 
to  all  Societies,  have  come  forth  linguistic  giants,  who  have 
compiled  grammars,  and  dictionaries,  and  text-books,  who  have 
rendered  teaching  possible  by  reducing  the  unlettered  words  of 
the  tribe  to  writing.  The  compiler  of  the  Ely- Volume  takes 
credit  for  the  great  work  performed  in  this  department  by  the 
Missionaries  of  the  American  Board.  All  honour  to  them ! 
Their  labours  are  known  in  the  fields  of  Asiatic,  African, 
American,  and  Oceanic  Missions,  but  they  are  but  a  unit  among 
many,  and  in  some  instances  they  had  the  advantage  of  the 
preceding  and  contemporary  labour  of  others,  though  in  several 
they  stand  alone.  So  great  a  subject  can  only  be  handled  col- 
lectively, treating  the  Missionaries  of  all  Societies  as  one  body. 
When  this  is  done,  it  can  safely  be  stated,  that  no  Government, 
no  secular  Association,  and  no  University,  have  done  one  tithe 
towards  extending  our  knowledge  of  the  living  languages  of  the 
world,  that  Christian  Missionaries  have  done,  without  hope  of 
profit  or  distinction  or  personal  advantage,  but  simply  in  the 
legitimate  and  single-minded  desire  to  render  possible  the 
work  of  evangelization.  Scientific  bodies,  and  scholars  in 
their  studies,  must  be  dead  to  all  sense  of  feeling,  if  they  do 
not  rise  from  their  chairs,  and  gratefully  thank  the  Missionary, 
the  Society,  and  that  wonderful  Missionary  feeling,  which  is 
the  life  of  all  living  Churches,  as  each  wonderful  grammar  and 
vocabulary  finds  its  way  to  their  library,  revealing  new  forms  of 
vocables,  new  rules  of  syntactical  arrangement  of  ideas,  new 
and  marvellous  and  symmetrical  developments  of  the  logical 
brain-power  of  barbarous  tribes,  who  out  of  their  own  con- 
sciousness, or  rather  unconsciousness,  have  evolved  new  laws 
of  vocalic  euphony,  and  new  methods  of  differentiation  of 
meaning,  and  delicate  shades  of  expression. 

But  there  is  a  loftier  level  still,  to  which  we  must  rise,  when  we 
consider  the  work  of  Bible-Translation.  Hitherto  the  Mission- 
aries of  the  Church  of  Rome  have  run  on  parallel  lines  with  their 
Protestant  brethren,  and  have  shared  their  linguistic  honours, 
besides  being  centuries  earlier  in  the  field.  But  the  glory  of 
Bible-Translation  rests,  with  most  minute  exceptions,  with  the 
preacher  of  the  Gospel,  a  title  to  which  the  Roman  Catholic 
priest  can  scarcely  lay  claim,  as  an  attentive  perusal  of  the 
weekly  issue  of  the  Missions  Catholiques  for  many  years  has  con- 
vmced  me,  that,  with  the  e.xception  of  the  worship  of  the  Virgin 


(     6     ) 

and  St.  Joseph,  and  the  enforcement  of  a  higher  morality,  there 
is  but  scant  teaching,  certainly  no  Gospel  preaching,  in  the  Papist 
Missions.  The  Fetishism  of  the  savage  is  varied  in  its  outward 
form,  but  retains  its  inner  meaning,  and  the  crucifix  and  the 
beads  are  but  substitutes  for  ruder  objects  of  magical  potency. 
The  chapter  devoted  to  Bible-Translation  in  the  Ely- Volume  is 
indeed  magnificent,  and  the  compiler,  standing  on  a  catholic 
platform,  takes  cognizance  of  the  great  work  done  by  all  Mission- 
aries all  over  the  world,  though  noticing  in  detail  only  the  work 
of  the  American  Board.  It  is  nobly  and  boldly  stated  "  that  the 
first  object  of  a  Protestant  Mission  is  to  give  the  Word  of  God 
to  a  people  in  their  own  tongue,  wherein  they  were  born,  and  in 
which  the  family  converses  at  home."  It  cannot  be  too  often 
and  too  distinctly  asserted,  that  the  first,  the  continuous,  and  the 
latest,  object  of  the  Missionary  of  the  Church  of  Rome  is  to  with- 
hold this  Bible  on  their  own  part,  and  to  destroy  it,  if  it  finds  its 
way  to  their  flocks  from  other  quarters. 

The  work  of  the  INIissionaries  of  the  American  Board  has  been 
of  the  highest  order,  but  by  far  the  largest  portion  of  Bible 
work  has  been  accomplished  through  the  agency  of  British 
Missionaries,  and  under  the  patronage  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  of  London.  The  difficulty  of  the  work 
has  been  repeatedly  stated,  and  no  doubt  in  the  case  of 
cultivated  languages  exaggerated;  the  necessity  of  repeated 
revisions  is  obvious ;  to  some  Missionaries  the  work  seems 
to  come  naturally ;  to  others  either  the  capacity,  or  the  industry, 
or  the  leisure,  or  the  opportunity,  have  been  wanting.  Talent  of 
the  highest  order  is  required,  and  persistent  labour.  Perhaps 
of  all  evangelizing  works  it  is  the  most  blessed,  and  remains  for 
ever  as  the  best  of  monuments ;  Luther's  words,  that  he  uttered, 
have  been  forgotten,  but  Luther's  Translation  of  the  Bible  will 
live  for  ever. 

In  his  contact  with  his  people  the  Missionary  necessarily  has 
his  attention  turned  to  the  Ethnological  features  of  the  tribe,  and 
to  their  Religious  Beliefs.  The  old  idea,  that  a  simple  ignorant 
jMissionary  could  work  the  conversion  of  a  people  by  a  mere 
statement  of  Gospel  truths,  accompanied  by  a  general  abuse  of 
idolatrous  practices,  is  exploded.  True  it  is,  that  the  Missionary 
by  himself  can  do  little,  and  that  it  is  God's  Grace,  that  worketh 
through  him;  but  that  Grace  works  through  human  means  of 
all  kinds,  and  gives  life  to  human  endeavours,  knowledge  and 
appliances.  The  fortress  of  time-honoured  customs,  and  of 
supernatural  beliefs,  in  which  the  soul  of  the  heathen  is,  as  it 
were,  entrenched,  must  be  explored  and  studied :  if  any  atom  of 
natural  and  adamantine  truth  has  survived,  it  must  be  respected, 
and  the  assault  against  ignorance  and  falsehood  must  be  made 
by  the  united  forces  of  wisdom  and  truth.    This  necessitates 


(    7    ) 

either  original  studies  of  ethnology  and  religious  beliefs,  or  of 
the  treatises  on  those  subjects,  prepared  by  the  former  labourers 
in  the  field,  who  have  passed  away.  It  may  be  a  question,  whether 
the  Missionary  is  entirely  a  fair  chronicler  of  customs  and  tenets, 
with  which  he  is  no  way  in  sympathy.  He  may  be  led  to  credit 
the  whole  of  the  complicated  machinery  to  the  direct  agency  of 
the  Devil,  and  from  this  standpoint  I  sometimes  read  of  the  great 
countries  of  India  and  China  being  the  Kingdoms  of  Satan, 
against  which  sweeping  condemnation- in  the  name  of  the  gentle 
and  lovable  people  of  India  I  must  protest.  It  requires  a  large 
supply  of  pity  for,  and  sympathy  with,  fallen  races,  and  a  wide 
and  impartial  survey  of  the  Book-religions,  and  forms  of  Nature 
Worship,  which  have  survived,  to  arrive  at  a  right  judgment  in 
this  matter,  and  the  statements  of  Missionaries  in  my  opinion  err 
on  the  side  of  intolerance,  from  the  absence  of  philosophic 
impartiality. 

In  General  Literature,  whether  of  a  periodical  character  or 
solid  contributions  to  knowledge,  the  work  of  the  Missionaries 
of  the  American  Board  is  stated  to  be  so  voluminous,  that  any- 
thing like  a  catalogue  is  out  of  the  question.  And  the  sam^e  may 
safely  be  said  of  the  agents  of  all  the  great  Societies.  They  have 
been  great  and  good  book-makers,  or  contributors  to  periodicals. 
Their  labours  have  extended  to  the  Vernaculars  of  the  people, 
among  whom  they  laboured.  In  many  cases  they  have  first 
reduced  the  vehicle  of  thought  to  literary  fitness,  and  then  illus- 
trated the  newly-developed  power  by  a  copious,  useful,  and 
popular  literature,  which  indeed  is  one  of  the  marvels  of  the  age. 
Other  colonizers  may  have  caused  cities  to  spring  up  in  what 
was  lately  a  waste,  and  turned  virgin  prairies  into  a  garden  of 
cereals,  saccharines,  and  oils  ;  but  to  the  Missionary  alone  has 
it  been  conceded  to  go  among  a  savage  people,  who  had  no 
alphabet,  and  had  never  heard  of  the  ink-bottle  and  the  reed- 
pen,  and  in  a  few  years  lead  them  across  a  gulf,  which  other 
nations  have  only  traversed  in  the  slow  progress  of  centuries, 
fashion  for  them  a  literary  language  out  of  their  own  vocables, 
teach  them  to  read  and  write,  to  join  in  prayer,  praise,  and  song, 
to  start  a  printing-press  in  their  midst,  and  to  make  use  of  the 
people  themselves  to  work  it,  so  that  the  barbarous  tribes  of 
Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  Oceania,  have  taken  in,  adopted,  and 
practised,  within  twenty-five  years,  under  the  guidance  of  a 
]\Iissionary,  what  it  took  the  Greek  and  Latin  peoples  twenty- 
five  centuries  to  accomplish.  When  the  influence  of  Christian 
Missions  upon  the  human  race  is  fairly  considered,  these  amaz- 
ing facts  must  not  be  lost  sight  of.  They  are  but  fragments, 
and  comparatively  unimportant  fragments,  of  the  great  edifice 
of  Christian  Belief  and  Life,  which  it  is  the  object  of  Missions 
to  erect,  and  yet  no  other  conceivable  earthly  agency  could  have 


(     8     ) 

effected  it.  Even  in  British  India,  with  all  the  appliances  of  a 
great,  high-minded,  and  enlightened  Government,  without  the 
help  of  the  Missionaries  a  Vernacular  literature  would  not  have 
come  into  existence,  which  was  fit  to  be  read  by  women  and 
children.  It  has  been  well  said,  that  in  measuring  the  extent 
and  power  of  the  agencies  at  work  it  is  not  sufficient  to  count 
the  Missionaries  and  the  schools  ;  the  prolific  outcome  of  the 
JNIission-presses,  scattering  broadcast  portions  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  a  miscellaneous  religious,  semi-religious,  and  healthy  secular 
literature,  is  a  factor  in  the  great  world-revival.  The  cheap 
periodical  literature,  published  monthly  and  weekly,  and  sold 
below  cost  price,  is  an  amazing  lever,  and  supplements  in  this 
busy  age  the  waning  power  of  the  pulpit  among  the  Native 
Christians,  and  aids  the  efforts  of  the  preacher  in  the  towns  and 
villages  among  the  heathen.  The  greatest  and  most  experienced 
of  Missionaries  of  all  countries  and  denominations  regard  the 
printing-press  as  worth  many  Missionaries,  and  more  especially 
in  those  countries,  where  education  is  spreading.  If  the  agents 
of  the  American  Board  of  Missions  have  a  longer  catalogue  of 
works  to  show,  it  is  that  the  subdivision  of  labour  has  not  been 
carried  out  so  entirely  in  the  United  States  as  in  Great  Britain. 
The  Religious  Tract  Society,  and  the  Christian  Knowledge 
Society,  and  the  Christian  Vernacular  Education  Society,  in 
London,  relieve  the  Missionary  Societies  of  these  subsidiary 
labours,  profiting  by  the  experience  of  the  INIissionaries,  and 
repaying  the  benefits  by  grants,  and  cheap  editions.  I  was 
much  impressed  at  first  sight  by  the  busy  work  of  Vernacular 
literature  in  progress  in  the  American  Bible  House  at  Constanti- 
nople, when  I  visited  it,  until  I  reflected  that  much  of  this  work 
w-as  done  better  and  cheaper  in  London,  or  at  the  Mission 
stations  scattered  over  the  world. 

Under  the  head  of  Literature,  the  periodicals  published  at 
head-quarters,  the  Annual  Reports,  and  the  separate  histories  of 
different  Mission-fields  published  from  time  to  time,  cannot  be 
passed  over  without  a  notice.  If  any  historian  continues  the 
history  of  the  British  people,  commenced  by  the  late  Mr.  Green, 
the  wonderful  phenomena  of  energy,  wisdom,  and  benevolence, 
evidenced  for  a  long  series  of  years  in  these  pages,  cannot  be 
overlooked.  What  is  the  conquest  of  India  compared  with  the 
quiet  and  unobtrusive  conquest  of  the  whole  world,  which  the 
Christians  of  this  century  calmly  contemplate,  and  have  done  so 
much  to  advance  ?  Some  twelve  years  ago  I  was  invited  to  assist 
in  preparing  one  of  the  series  of  Reports  on  the  Moral  and 
Material  Progress  of  British  India.  I  agreed  to  do  so  on  the 
condition,  that  due  notice  was  taken  of  the  wonderful  progress 
of  Missionary  effort  from  a  secular  point  of  view.  My  condition 
was  accepted,  and  care  was  taken  at  my  request  not  to  omit 


(    9    ) 

mention  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Missions.  The  religions  world 
was  gratified,  and  those  paragraphs  were  quoted  from  many  a 
pulpit ;  but  the  secular  world  was  astonished.  Now  throughout 
the  British  Empire  and  the  whole  world,  the  Missionary  element 
is  recognized  as  a  factor  in  the  body  politic,  which  cannot  be 
overlooked  by  the  Statesman  in  Parliament,  by  the  Plenipoten- 
tiary, when  he  makes  treaties,  by  the  Historian,  when  he  writes 
history,  and  by  the  writprs  of  general  literature. 

The  next  heading,  "Education,"  embraces  a  portion  of  the 
essential  duties  of  a  Missionary,  and  great  and  successful  as  the 
discharge  of  this  duty  has  been,  both  in  the  Missions  of  the 
American  Board  and  of  other  Societies,  no  special  notice  is 
required,  as  I  am  not  alluding  now  to  the  essential,  but  the 
incidental,  advantages  of  Missions.  The  following  heading, 
"  Medical  Science,"  is  passed  over  for  the  same  reason.  The 
Medical  Missionary,  male  or  female,  is  now  a  recognized  and 
requisite  member  of  every  fully-organized  Mission,  and  many 
ordained  IMissionaries  have  a  certain  amount  of  medical  training. 
It  is  no  longer  an  incideiital  advantage  of  Missions. 

Under  the  heading  General  Philanthropy  may  be  classed  all 
that  Missionaries  have  done  for  the  saving  of  whole  races  from 
certain  destruction,  and  their  national  regeneration  as  decent 
and  flourishing,  though  not  necessarily  Christian  communities. 
The  very  existence  of  many  of  the  communities  of  Oceania 
is  owing  to  the  Missionaries.  To  this  may  be  added  the  bold 
opposition  to  the  Slave-trade,  Slavery,  employment  of  slave- 
labour  by  office-holders  of  the  Christian  Church  (which,  except 
in  the  case  of  the  INIadagascar  IMission,  is  a  rule  absolute), 
and  the  kidnapping  of  men  under  pretence  of  service- 
contracts.  Missionaries  have  not  been  found  wanting  to  resist 
their  white  brethren  in  their  attempts  to  injure  morally  or 
physically  the  people  committed  to  their  charge.  Not  always 
judiciously,  yet  still  always  in  good  faith,  they  have  stood  up 
against  kings  and  men  in  power,  against  merchants,  and  against 
agricultural  speculators.  At  the  risk  of  their  lives  they  have 
saved  widows  from  the  burning  pile,  and  victims  from  sacrifice, 
or  the  jaws  of  the  cannibal,  or  the  poisoned  cup  of  the 
medicine-man,  or  the  yawning  grave,  ready  to  receive  them 
alive.  They  have  taught  the  gentle  arts  of  peace,  introduced 
new  modes  of  culture,  new  articles  of  commerce,  new  methods 
of  manufacture  ;  they  have  opened  asylums  for  the  leper,  and  in 
some  cases  dauntless  men,  both  Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic, 
have  given  themselves  up  to  the  risk  of  the  deadly  contagion  in 
their  love  for  the  bodies  and  souls  of  the  sufferers  ;  they  have 
opened  hospitals  for  the  opium-smoker,  and  homes  for  the  famine- 
orphans  ;  have  worked  their  way  by  the  help  of  their  wives  and 
sisters  into  the  secluded  retreats  of  the  female  apartments  to 


(      10      ) 

get  at  the  women  ;  they  have  taught  both  sexes  in  many  parts 
of  the  world  the  decencies  of  life,  showing  men  how  they  can 
be  strong  without  being  cruel,  and  giving  women  elementary 
lessons  in  modesty  and  purity.  Not  in  vain  have  been  these 
blessed  labours:  wherever  there  was  oppression,  or  sufiering,  or 
an  appeal  for  help,  or  a  craving  for  advice,  the  Missionary  has 
not  stopped  to  ask,  whether  the  cry  came  from  a  heathen  or 
a  Christian.  He  has  taken  the  highest  view  of  his  sacred  calling, 
and  given  the  succour  without  asking  who  and  what  was  the 
party  succoured.  So,  also,  when  famines  have  raged,  the 
INIissionary  has  appeared  Avith  food  to  save  the  starving,  with 
orphanages  to  receive  the  abandoned  children.  He  has  always 
been  ready  to  prevent  bloodshed  by  arbitration  in  case  of 
quarrels,  and  in  some  cases  has  arrested  war  by  timely  advice, 
or  brought  about  peace  amidst  savage  combatants  by  words  of 
wisdom,  and  forbearance,  and  love. 

The  Missionary  should  not  meddle  in  politics,  or  in  the 
culture  of  the  soil,  or  in  commerce :  where  he  has  done  so,  it 
has  been  to  the  injury  of  his  proper  work.  The  idea  of  self- 
supporting  Missions  by  means  of  commerce,  manufacture,  and 
agriculture,  is  a  dream  of  Utopia.  The  Missionary  was  meant 
for  better  things  than  to  manage  ostrich-farming,  gather  in 
cocoa-nuts,  or  superintend  filatures.  Nor  should  he  be  tempted 
under  any  circumstances  to  try  his  prentice-hand  at  ruling  men  ; 
for  such  purposes  a  stiifer  clay  is  required  than  the  material,  of 
which  he  is  made  ;  the  matter  is  too  high  for  him,  or  rather  he 
is  too  high  for  the  matter.  For  in  spite  of  all  the  lofty  ideal 
of  Christian  Statesmen,  the  government  of  Natives,  specially  of 
those  in  a  low  state  of  culture,  is  a  compromise  of  low  motives, 
and  it  is  of  the  essence  of  our  poor  humanity,  that  it  should  be 
so.  The  governor,  the  judge,  and  the  magistrate,  must  touch 
pitch,  and  in  their  official  capacity  take  cognizance  of  tendencies, 
of  customs,  of  ideas,  of  religious  worships,  and  of  professions, 
against  which  their  souls  revolt.  The  INIissionary  in  his  death- 
grapple  with  the  awakened  conscience,  and  the  darkened  soul 
of  men  opening  to  the  truth,  comes  indeed  into  contact  with 
the  sad  ingredients  of  human  nature,  but  his  Gospel  admits  of  no 
comproymst;  he  rises  above  conventional  morals  and  local  customs  ; 
to  him  the  polygamist,  and  the  worshipper  of  idols,  is  not  a 
subject  of  her  Majesty  with  guaranteed  civil  rights,  but  a  sinner, 
M'ho  must  be  persuaded  to  amend  his  ways.  The  Missionary  is 
therefore  in  a  false  position,  when  he  attempts  to  hold  the  reins 
of  Civil  Government.  And,  in  my  judgment,  when  he  goes  out 
of  his  proper  orbit,  and  meddles  with  such  tangled  questions, 
as  a  gigantic  commerce  betwixt  two  such  great  nations  as  India 
and  China,  he  fails  in  his  object,  being  unable  to  measure  the 
surrounding  forces,  and  in  the  end  causes  greater  evils  by  his 


.  (  II  ) 

ill-judging,  though  well-intentioned,  endeavours.  Let  him  leave 
Caesar's  business  to  Caesar,  and  keep  his  mind  on  the  affairs  of 
God,  who  for  a  short  season  permits  the  existence  of  Evil  in 
different  countries,  that  He  may  prove  the  Faith  of  His  Servants, 
and  work  His  Sovereign  Will,  leading  on  through  temptation 
and  suffering  to  Perfection  and  Holiness. 

Missionaries  and  Mission-Societies  have  reason  to  be  grateful 
to  the  American  Board  for  this  volume  on  INIissions  and  Science, 
which  I  have  passed  under  review;  it  tells  a  noble  story.  A 
few  years  ago  I  met  at  Rome  a  young  surgeon  from  Chicago. 
He  had  all  the  brilliant  charm  and  vivacity  of  a  young  man, 
belonging  to  a  young  city  and  a  young  nation.  He  expressed 
his  opinion,  that  he  could  have  saved  President  Garfield's  life, 
had  he  been  called  in,  and  that  only  the  second  or  third-rate 
men  of  his  country,  who  had  failed  in  a  home-career,  went  out 
as  Missionaries.  This  Volume  is  a  sufficient  answer  to  this 
sneer,  not  meant  maliciously,  but  representative  of  the  opinion 
of  too  many.  The  American  Board  has  during  the  last  fifty 
years  had  the  good  fortune  to  find,  and  the  wisdom  to  value,  as 
their  agents,  men  of  consummate  ability  and  unaffected  piety, 
who  would  have  achieved  greatness  and  wealth  in  secular  employ- 
ment, but  who  have  had  the  Grace  given  to  them  to  consecrate 
their  opening,  middle,  and  closing  years  to  the  service  of  their 
Lord,  and,  while  striking  hard  on  the  anvil  of  their  own  proper 
work,  the  evangelization  of  souls,  have  let  in  side-lights  into 
many  obscure  subjects,  and  thus  incidentally  conferred  honour 
on  themselves,  and  their  sacred  cause.  An  all-round  study  of 
Mission-work  does  indeed  make  us  freethinkers,  but  in  the  best 
and  highest  sense  of  that  often  misapplied  phrase.  We  know, 
that  the  Word  and  the  Work  of  the  great  Creator  must  be  in 
harmony,  though  we  cannot  always,  through  the  weakness  of 
our  intelligence,  reconcile  them.  We  approach  the  study  of 
the  Word,  a  treasure  in  the  earthen  vessels  of  perishable 
vocables  and  sentences,  with  the  same  reverence  and  reserve, 
that  we  touch  the  skirts  of  our  mothers.  We  adore  the  great 
Creator  in  the  study  of  His  manifold  Work,  and,  if  we  demand 
more  air,  and  more  breathing  space,  than  the  timid  and  cramped 
interpretations  of  our  forefathers  allowed,  the  reverend  Mission- 
aries, whose  works  are  recorded  in  this  volume,  teach  us  how  to 
handle  the  Word  of  Life,  and  yet  gaze  exultingly  and  trustfully 
into  every  vista,  opened  in  the  labyrinth  of  human  Science, 
nothing  doubting,  that  to  the  faithful  the  end  will  be  Light.  True 
Science  is  the  handmaid  of  true  Religion,  and  will  never  raise 
up  her  hand  against  her  mistress,  if  each  keeps  itself  within  its 
own  proper  sphere,  and  revolves  in  its  own  orbit.  They  are  not 
antagonistic,  but  co-ordinate  powers,  illustrating,  and  illustrated 
by,  each  other.     Standing  as  I  do  midway  betwixt  Science  and 


(       12      ) 

Missions,  and  flitting  daily  from  the  assembly  of  the  Scientists 
to  the  Committee-room  of  the  Mission,  I  feel,  that  I  can  take 
a  part  in  both  without  religious  or  intellectual  compromise,  and 
glory  in  the  strange  pleasure  of  seeing  Science  subserve  so  much 
to  the  advance  of  Alissions,  while  Missions  pay  back  the  debt 
by  subserving  so  much  to  the  advance  of  Science. 

Church    Missionary    Society    Intelligencer,     September,     18F4 
(with  additions,  1888), 


(     13     ) 


II. 
A  BOARD   OF   MISSIONS  IN  A  NATIONAL  CHURCH. 

Will  it  Advance  the  Cause  of  Missions  to  the 
Non-Christian  World  ? 

The  duties  of  the  Board  of  Missions  are  thus  laid  down  in  the 
Resolution  of  Convocation  of  the  Canterbury  Province  of  the 
Church  of  England. 

1.  To  impress  upon  all  members  of  the  Church,  in  such  ways 
as  from  time  to  time  may  seem  desirable,  their  responsibility  as 
to  Foreign  Missions,  and  to  set  forth  the  principles,  which  ought 
to  govern  the  Missionary-work  of  the  Church  ; 

2.  To  issue  reports  from  time  to  time  on  the  spiritual  wants 
of  heathen  countries,  and  to  direct  attention  to  the  openings 
providentially  placed  before  the  Church  ; 

3.  To  give  counsel,  when  applied  to  by  any  Colonial,  or 
Missionary,  Church  ; 

4.  To  act  as  Referee  upon  questions,  which  Missionary-Societies 
may  desire  to  refer  to  the  Board  ; 

5.  To  collect  and  tabulate,  as  far  as  may  be  found  desirable 
and  practicable,  the  Acts  and  Canons  passed  in  the  various 
Synods  of  the  Church  at  home  and  abroad  ; 

6.  To  undertake  any  other  work  in  connection  with  Missions, 
which  may  from  time  to  time  be  entrusted  to  the  Board,  either 
by  the  Archbishop,  or  by  the  Convocation  of  the  Province  of 
Canterbury ; 

7.  To  co-operate  with  any  similar  Board  of  Missions,  that  may 
be  appointed  by  the  Convocation  of  the  Province  of  York. 

The  following  is  part  of  a  letter,  addressed  by  the  Primate  to 
the  address  of  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge : 

They  hope  in  this  way  to  help  the  Societies,  to  collect  no  money  themselves, 
but  to  press  the  cause  as  a  religious  duty,  irrespectively  of  either  receiving  or 
administering  funds. 

They  wish  also  to  set  before  the  Church,  so  to  speak,  more  of  a  science  of 
missions,  believing  that  hitherto  we  have  been  obliged  to  live  from  hand  to 


(     14    ) 

mouth  in  promoting  Mission-work,  but  being  convinced,  that  a  literature  might 
be  collected,  and  principles  deduced  by  able  writers  and  thinkers,  which  would 
save  labour  and  means  in  the  best  way  by  pointing  out  directions,  in  which  to 
work,  and  methods,  and  opening  out  the  necessities  for  various  treatments 
of  races. 

The  points  are  numerous,  which  rise  out  of  these  two  main  lines,  but  there 
are  many  members  of  the  Committee,  who  could  instruct  me,  rather  than  I 
them,  in  this  matter. 

As  we  have  no  funds  ourselves,  it  being  our  object  9iot  to  have  any,  and  as 
the  S.P.C.  K.  is  really  a  Missionary- Society  in  the  highest  ways,  and  expressly 
so  in  its  origin,  I  have  ventured  to  hope,  that  the  Standing  Committee  will  see 
fit  to  make  us  an  annual  grant  for  our  expenses  in  working.  There  is,  of  course, 
much  work  to  do,  and  many  expenses  to  incur.  We  believe,  that  we  shall  be 
ultimately  able  to  serve  the  S.  P.  C.  K.  by  the  interest  we  hope  to  enlarge  ;  but 
I  do  not  in  the  least  degree  put  the  request  on  that  ground.  I  simply  state  the 
objects,  with  the  belief,  that  it  is  a  body  able  to  carry  them  out,  and  I  venture 
to  ask  the  Committee  to  make  us  an  annual  grant  of  from  £l'io  to  ;^200  a  year, 
as  they  shall  think  fit. 

A  grant  was  made  of /^6oo,  or,  in  other  words,  a  grant  of /'zoo 
per  annum,  guaranteed  for  three  years.  Two  remarks  must  be 
made  on  the  form  of  this  grant.  Just  as  Prince  Bismarck  secures 
the  grant  for  the  German  Army  for  a  Septennate,  in  order  to 
prevent  annual  discussion,  this  grant  has  been  made  for  three 
years,  but  no  promise  is  made  of  a  grant  beyond  that  period.  It 
is  presumed,  that  the  Board  by  that  tiine  will  have  collapsed,  or 
be  self-supporting.  At  any  rate, /'6oo  has  been  withdrawn  from 
the  evangelizing  fund  of  the  S.  P.  C.  K.  to  be  added  to  the  vast 
sums  already  spent  in  England  on  the  office-establishments  of 
Missionary-Societies.  This  is  deplorable,  as  the  S.  P.  C.  K.  is 
doing  an  excellent  work,  and  has  by  no  means  a  sufficiency  of 
funds  for  its  manifold  branches  of  useful  work. 

Let  me  now  examine  the  Constitution  of  the  Board.  The 
Resolutions  were  passed  by  the  Convocation  of  Canterbury ;  the  • 
Province  of  York,  and  the  Church  of  Ireland,  and  Scotland,  are 
neither  consenting  nor  represented.  And  yet  the  funds  of  the 
Missions  of  the  Church  of  England  are  largely  supplied  from 
those  quarters.  And  the  vast  Provinces  of  the  Colonial  Metro- 
politan Sees,  in  whose  area  much  of  the  Mission-work  is 
prosecuted,  have  no  voice  or  part  in  this  Board.  It  is  possible, 
that  the  Pan-Anglican  Synod  may  adopt  this  measure,  but  it 
is  possible  that  it  may  not,  for  some  of  the  Colonial  Bishops 
may  have  objection  to  it.  As  it  is  now,  it  is  a  distinct  usur- 
pation of  authority. 

Let  me  examine  the  persoiinel  of  the  Board.  Bishops  of  the 
Province  of  Canterbury  are  upon  it,  but  the  Bishop  of  Carlisle, 
the  President  of  one  of  the  most  efficient  Missions,  that  of  the 
Universities  to  East  Africa,  is  not ;  the  Bishop  of  Manchester, 
with  his  wide  experience  of  the  Missions  in  Oceania,  has  no  seat. 
Distinguished  peers,  commoners  and  clergymen,  make  up  the 
Septuagint,  for  that  number  is  just  exceeded  for  one  Province. 


r  15  ) 

With  the  exception  of  Bishop  Abraham,  and  the  Bishop  of 
Exeter,  I  doubt  whether  any  English  Bishop  has  practical  know- 
ledge of  Mission-work,  either  in  the  Committee-room,  or,  what  is 
more  important,  in  the  field.  The  conduct  of  Missions  in  Heathen 
and  Mahometan  countries  has  already  risen  to  the  dignity  of  a 
Science,  only  to  be  learnt  by  long  and  continuous  practice, 
discussion,  reading,  and  reflection  ;  it  is  the  occupation  of  the 
whole  life,  and  of  many  hours  of  each  day,  of  many  able  men, 
selected  for  the  particular  purpose  by  the  turns  of  their  own 
minds,  and  the  conviction  of  their  colleagues,  that  they  have  a 
special  fitness  for  the  duty.  If  they  are  unable  to  give  con- 
tinuous, intelligent,  and  approved  attendance  and  service,  their 
names  are  quietly  and  without  offence  omitted,  when  the  list  of 
the  annually-elected  Committee  is  made  up.  Will  this  rule  be 
applied  to  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Missions  ?  Will  not  the 
retention  of  great  names  on  a  deliberating  and  executive  Board, 
while  a  majority  take  no  part  in  the  business,  be  a  mere  blind  ? 
Will  the  name  of  a  noble  peer,  who  has  never  attended  one 
meeting,  be  removed  ?  Will  not  the  Members  of  the  Board 
be  insensibly  supplied  from  one  extreme  party  of  the  Church, 
because  the  others  will  decline  to  act  upon  it  ? 

But  how  are  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Missions  of  the 
Province  of  Canterbury  elected  ?  By  the  two  Houses  of  Con- 
vocation, which  are  unable  to  pass  a  single  law  without  the 
concurrence  of  the  Houses  of  Parliament,  and  do  not  comprise  a 
single  layman ;  in  fact,  they  are  a  survival  of  mediasval  institutions, 
shackled  by  the  State,  and  deficient  in  organization;  the  Convo- 
cation name  twenty-four  Bishops,  twenty-four  clergymen,  and 
twenty-four  laymen,  and  these  again  appoint  an  executive  com- 
mittee and  secretaries.  Pending  the  erection  of  the  Church 
House,  the  Board  is  homeless  ;  by  its  very  constitution  it  appears 
to  be  objectless,  and,  unless  my  anticipations  are  falsified,  it  will 
prove  profitless.  The  Primate  in  his  letter  to  the  S.  P.  C.  K. 
states,  that  it  is  not  the  object  of  the  Board  to  have  funds ;  if  it 
continue  in  this  mind,  it  will  be  the  most  remarkable  Board, 
that  ever  existed;  and,  unless  some  rich  layman,  or  pensioned 
Bishop,  undertakes  the  current  duties  of  correspondence,  it  must 
depend  permanently  upon  the  alms  of  the  S.  P.  C.  K.,  or  a  rate 
in  aid  must  be  levied  on  the  INIissionary  Societies,  or  collections 
made  from  the  members  of  the  Board  themselves.  The  Secretary 
might  possibly  be  provided  for  by  being  made  Rector  of  one  of 
the  empty  London  churches,  or  one  of  the  Canons  of  St.  Paul's 
Cathedral,  who  appear  to  have  a  great  amount  of  misapplied 
leisure. 

It  appears  to  me,  that  the  Board  of  Missions,  as  it  is  presented 
to  us,  is  but  an  embryo  of  a  much  more  powerful  and  formidable 
organization ;  it  is  born  as  a  harmless  jelly-fish,  but,  if  it  finds 


(  I6  ) 

itself  in   the    proper   environment,    it    may   develope    into   an 
octopus. 

The  Church  of  England,  as  established  by  Act  of  Parliament, 
may,  like  the  ostrich,  hide  its  head  in  the  sand,  and  refuse  to 
recognize  the  facts  of  the  nineteenth  century ;  but  round  it,  and 
its  vicinity,  are  aggregations  of  Christians,  who  call  their  legal 
co-existence  a  "Church,"  and  as  a  fact  the  phrase,  "as  a  Church," 
occurs  oftener  in  Nonconformist  periodicals  than  in  those  of  the 
Church  of  England.  The  very  same  arrogation  of  authority 
is  put  forward  by  the  Nonconformist  Churches  to  control  the 
Missionary  operations  of  the  members  of  their  nationality  and 
denomination,  as  lies  at  the  bottom,  however  disguised,  of  this 
new  move  of  a  Board  of  Missions.  In  all  these  cases  there  are 
some  persons,  who  have  not  got  power,  and  some  who  have  got 
power,  and  those,  who  have  not,  desire  to  possess  themselves  of 
the  power,  which  is  possessed  by  those,  who  have.  This  is  the 
naked  truth.  There  are  two  parties:  the  Church  and  the  iNIis- 
sionary-Associations;  if  true-hearted  Christians  desired  only  what 
would  more  speedily  extend  the  Kingdom  of  the  Lord,  and 
accelerate  the  coming  of  the  time,  when  Jesus  would  reign 
without  a  rival,  they  would  allow  the  work  to  go  on  in  the  way, 
and  on  the  lines,  on  which  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  had  led  the  early 
founders  of  the  great  movement  to  move,  and  rejoice  and  marvel 
at  the  Wisdom  of  God,  which  had  worked  out  His  Sovereign-Will 
in  spite  of  the  supineness  of  the  Bishops  of  His  Church,  for  the 
greatest  Missionary-Society  in  E!nglandcame  into  existence  under 
the  frown  of  Lambeth,  and  the  averted  eyes  of  the  Bench  of 
Bishops  with  two  holy  exceptions.  The  Church  will  thus  be 
glorified  by  the  missions,  which  have  sprung  up  like  wild,  yet 
beautiful,  plants  around  the  old  stem.  I3ut,  if  blinded  Church- 
men wish  to  arrogate  to  their  Church-organization  work,  which 
neither  they  nor  their  forefathers  ever  did,  and  at  this  late  hour 
put  forward  claim  to  an  authority,  which  has  slipped  from  their 
grasp,  they  greatly  err,  if  they  imagine,  that  they  will  succeed. 
Our  forefathers  in  the  State  lost  the  United  States  of  North 
America  by  their  want  of  sympathy,  and  arrogation  of  power,  at 
a  critical  moment.  Our  forefathers  in  the  Church  lost  all  the 
good  and  earnest  Wesleyan  congregations,  in  their  thousands 
in  England,  and  tens  of  thousands  in  America,  by  their  want  of 
sympathy  and  negligence.  So  the  Church  of  England,  as  a 
Church,  seems  to  me  to  have  lost  for  ever  its  control  over  the 
Missionary  ardour  of  the  nation,  which  has  settled  down 
permanently  into  the  channel  of  voluntary  Associations,  jealous 
of  Church-control,  recognizing  Bishops  not  as  administrators, 
but  as  Fathers  in  the  Church  with  strictly  legal  and  limited 
powers.  The  scheme  of  a  INIission-Board  has  long  been  talked 
of,  and  dreamt  about ;  during  the  primacy  of  Archbishop  Tait, 


(     17    ) 

it  seemed  to  have  disappeared.  Tiiat  venerated  and  sagacious 
Prelate  once  remarked  in  Exeter  Hall,  that  the  voluntary  system 
was  the  soul  of  Missionary  work,  and  (as  a  corollary)  that  it 
was  natural,  that  those,  who  gave  the  money,  would  wish  to  have 
a  voice,  and  a  potent  voice,  as  to  the  way,  in  which  that  money 
was  spent. 

The  Bishop  of  Kentucky,  in  North  America,  most  opportunely 
informs  us,  that  the  late  Bishop  of  Lincoln  (Dr.  Wordsworth) 
expressed  to  him  in  1881,  "his  longing  desire  to  see  a  con- 
"  solidated  agency  representing  the  whole  Church  established 
"  in  England."  He  might  as  well  have  desired  to  see  a  blue 
moon,  but  the  recorded  desire  of  the  deceased  Prelate  (so 
honoured  and  beloved  in  his  Diocese,  and  so  worthy  of  that 
love)  marks  the  object  of  this  measure,  however  much  it  may 
be  toned  down  by  the  assurance,  that  the  new  Board  has 
nothing  to  do  with  collecting  funds  or  administrations  ;  in  other 
words,  it  is  not  to  have  the  power  to  spend  a  shilling,  or  appoint 
a  missionary,  and  yet  it  is  to  be  called  a  Board  of  Missions  ! 
The  desire  of  the  good  Bishop  of  Lincoln  is  as  much  out  of 
harmony  with  the  existing  Church  of  England  in  the  strong, 
efficient,  and  powerful  new  life,  which  it  has  attained  in  the 
reign  of  Queen  Victoria,  as  the  mitre,  cope,  and  crozier,  which 
are  so  conspicuous  in  the  portraits  of  the  dear  Bishop  in  many 
Lincolnshire  churches. 

The  experience  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States 
of  North  America  will  not  help  the  supporters  of  the  new  Board. 
I  refer  my  readers  to  the  Bishop  of  Kentucky's  letter  to  the 
Chiirclwian,  a  paper  published  in  the  United  States.  It  is  the 
desire  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches  of  Great  Britain  and 
North  America  to  subordinate  their  Mission-Boards  to  the 
general  assemblies  of  their  Church,  but  the  contentions,  arising 
from  this  tendency,  have  caused  much  scandal  in  the  Mission 
Field  in  India.  It  is  of  no  advantage  to  turn  to  the  wily 
Church  of  Rome  for  a  precedent ;  all  Mission-work  is  entrusted 
absolutely  to  different  great  congregations,  such  as  the  Jesuits, 
Capuchins,  Marists,  Notre  Dame  d'Afrique,  etc.  So  long  as 
they  recognize  the  Pope,  and  put  forth  no  heretical  doctrines, 
they  have  entire  administrative  independence,  publish  no  annual 
reports,  make  no  rendition  of  accounts.  I  visited  a  few  years 
ago  Cardinal  Lavigerie,  the  Bishop  of  Carthage,  at  Tunis,  to 
beg  him  not  to  plant  his  Central  African  Mission-Station  in 
direct  proximity  to  the  Protestant  Mission-Station,  as  there 
was  room  for  all.  Nothing  would  have  surprised  His  Eminence 
so  much  as  the  idea,  that  he  was  in  any  way  responsible  to  a 
Board,  or  a  Church,  or  even  the  Pope  himself,  as  to  the  details 
of  his  vast  missionary  operations,  and  the  scores  of  Missionaries, 
ordained  and  lay,  whom  he  trains,  educates,  sends  out,  recalls, 


A 


(     i8     ) 

and  out  of  whose  numbers  he  selects,  with  the  sanction  of  the 
Propaganda,  his  Bishops  and  Vicar-Generals.  There  is  no 
ground  therefore  for  the  assertion,  that  the  dogma  of  Missionary 
operations  being  conducted  by  the  Church  in  its  corporate 
capacity,  has  been  semper^  ubique  et  ab  omnibus. 

Let  me  now  consider  what  the  new  Board  is  to  do.  As  to 
Clause  I.,  1  submit,  that  the  venerable  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel,  during  its  existence  of  nearly  two 
centuries,  itself  the  creation  of  Convocation,  has  done  the  duty 
described  nobly  and  well,  and  is  doing  it  still.  The  Colonies 
and  the  Heathen  and  Mahometan  world  owe  a  debt  of  deep 
gratitude  to  this  Society,  of  which  I  am  proud  to  have  been  many 
years  an  incorporated  member.  The  sister  Society  works  on  a 
different  method,  but  within  strictly  Church-lines,  over  a  much 
wider  sphere  of  action,  with  a  constitution  as  democratic  as 
any  Church-association  would  dare  to  be,  for  every  ordained 
clergyman,  who  subscribes  \os.  bd.,  every  layman  or  woman, 
who  subscribes  £  s  S^-,  have  a  vote  at  the  general  meetings, 
and  every  subscribing  Bishop  is  de  Jure  a  vice-president.  The 
Church  Missionary  Society  has  a  power  and  influence  both  at 
home  and  abroad,  which  no  Bishop  would  venture  to  despise, 
and  no  Board  of  Missions  could  hope  to  control. 

Clause  11.  would  merely  intensify  that  "  Kakoethes  Scribendi," 
which  is  already  the  bane  of  all  British  Associations.  It  is  not 
obvious,  whence  the  Board  of  Missions  could  get  information 
except  by  pillaging  the  excellent,  but  perhaps  too  verbose, 
publications,  monthly  and  annual,  of  the  existing  Associations, 
or  by  pumping  the  brains  of  missionaries  at  home,  who  have 
already  told  their  tale  to  their  own  Society,  and  who  will  be 
reserved,  being  honest  men,  in  their  communications  to 
strangers,  who  come  upon  them  like  newspaper-reporters.  The 
moon  can  hardly  be  expected  to  supply  light  to  the  sun.  On 
the  Committees  of  the  great  Societies  are  men  of  various 
attainments,  sojourners  for  many  years  in  different  parts  of 
the  world,  retired  soldiers,  merchants,  civilians,  bishops  and 
missionaries,  men  of  science,  men  of  literature,  great  travellers, 
to  whom  the  world  is  an  opened  oyster,  who  can  tell  you  off-hand 
about  the  tribes,  the  languages,  the  customs  of  any  part  of  the 
world,  not  already  occupied  by  INIissionaries  of  their  own  or 
sister-Societies  of  the  different  denominations,  with  whom  by 
Rule  XXXI.  of  the  Laws  and  Regulations  of  the  C.M.S.,  and 
under  the  influence  of  long-tried  mutual  respect  and  good 
feeling,  they  hold  friendly  intercourse.  The  very  wording  of 
Clause  II.  indicates  an  imperfect  knowledge  of  the  phenomena 
of  the  Missionary  world.  A  few  years  ago  the  great  Missionary 
Board  of  Foreign  Missions  at  Boston  in  the  United  States 
received  a  legacy  of  a  million  of  dollars,  or  ^200,000,  and  sent 


(     19    ) 

a  secretary  over  to  Europe  to  consult  friends,  and  myself  among 
others,  as  to  an  opening  for  new  missions  in  Africa.  I  went 
carefully  over  the  map  with  him,  and  with  difficulty  found  two 
openings,  for  under  the  comity  of  Protestant  Missions  no  intru- 
sion is  allowed  on  regions  already  occupied. 

Clause  III.  seems  to  imply  an  ignorance  of  the  great  principle 
that,  when  a  Church  is  constituted,  the  work  of  the  Missionary 
Society  is  done,  and  the  function  of  the  Bishop  commences. 
Time  will  show,  whether  Bishops  in  their  Synods  will  submit  to 
Boards  of  Missions,  any  more  than  Committees  of  Missionary 
Societies  will  submit  to  Bishops.     I  doubt  it. 

Clause  IV.  is  a  surprising  one.  Questions  of  delicacy  may 
arise,  which  a  Committee  would  willingly  submit  to  the  Primate, 
or  a  Bishop  of  trusted  and  experienced  wisdom  ;  but  I  cannot 
conceive  any  pure  Missionary  question  being  profitably  referred 
by  a  Committee,  which  has  full  experience  of  the  work,  and 
which  is  jealous  to  a  fault  of  its  independence,  to  a  body  of  a 
nondescript  character,  which  has  no  experience  whatsoever, 
and  is  not  in  the  way  to  acquire  it ;  for,  be  it  remembered,  that 
the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  a  great  Society,  such  as  the 
C.  M.  S.  (which  cannot  delegate  its  power  to  any  one),  is  one  of 
the  most  difficult  and  complicated  problems  possible,  requiring 
continuous,  intelligent,  experienced,  and  prayerful  labour,  with 
entire  independence  of  any  external  influence,  prejudice,  or 
bias,  and  a  hearty  and  willing  obedience  to  the  well-understood 
principles,  upon  which  the  Society  was  based,  and  any  divergence 
from  which  under  a  sudden  gust  of  passion  would  threaten 
dissolution,  or  secession  of  a  large  minority  of  the  supporters. 
I  have  been  from  my  earliest  days  occupied  with  the  administra- 
tion of  a  great  empire,  but  the  problems  were  less  difficult, 
inasmuch  as  there  is  always  in  things  secular  the  ultima  ratio  of 
the  Sovereign  Ruler. 

A  great  point  is  always  made  by  some  of  the  supposed 
superiority  of  a  Bench  of  Bishops  to  a  Lay  Committee.  I  doubt 
it.  All  the  Bishops  are  my  contemporaries  or  juniors  in  age : 
with  some  I  was  at  Eton :  I  have  been  cognizant  of  their  lives 
and  actions,  as  I  have  been  of  the  lives  of  all  the  great  Statesmen 
and  Public  Men  of  the  Reign  of  Queen  Victoria.  I  have  no 
manner  of  doubt,  that  the  lay  and  ordained  members  of  the  Lay 
Committee  are  far  superior  to  the  Bench  of  Bishops  (including 
Suffragans  and  Archdeacons)  in  the  conduct  of  human  affairs, 
and  how  large  a  portion  of  the  duties  of  a  Missionary  Society 
is  included  in  that  term  !  And  on  the  spiritual  side  let  me  add, 
that  "  ora  et  labora"  is  the  motto  of  the  Societies,  to  which  I 
belong.  At  the  late  reception  of  the  Bishops  at  the  Church 
]\Iission  House  it  was  well  and  truly  said  by  one  of  our  oldest 
members  that : 


(      20      ) 

If  the  walls  of  our  Council -Chamber  could  speak,  they  could  tell,  how 
discussions  were  often  stopped  while  the  Committee  knelt  down,  and  prayed 
over  difiiculties,  that  were  perplexing  them.  All  their  deliberations  were 
conducted  in  a  spirit  of  weighty  and  dependent  prayer,  and  God  has  blessed 
the  Society  far  beyond  the  expectations  of  its  founders,  because  the  attitude 
of  the  Society  was  an  unceasing  waiting  upon  God. 

And  again  : 

Be  stiff  and  stubborn  in  necessary  things. 

On  the  Clock  of  History  it  is  in  vain  to  attempt  to  put  the 
hands  back.  You  might  as  well  attempt  to  tinker  the  British 
Constitution.  From  the  prayerful  enterprize  of  a  few,  while  the 
Church  of  England  was  dormant,  stagnant,  scarcely  worthy  of 
existence  at  the  beginning  of  this  century,  a  few  seeds  were 
dropped  into  the  soil,  from  which,  by  God's  Grace,  have  sprung 
several  trees  overshadowing  certain  portions  of  the  world.  The 
Church  in  its  collective  capacity  never  cared  for,  or  watered, 
them,  when  they  were  young  and  tender.  ]Many  Parishes  in 
every  Diocese  are  still  devoid  of  a  spark  of  Missionary  spirit, 
on  account  of  the  neglect  of  duty  of  the  Rector  of  the  Parish, 
and  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  ;  for  the  duty  of  Evangelizing  the 
Heathen  is  part,  parcel,  and  even  one  of  the  chief  duties,  of 
every  Christian.  The  presence  of  Bishops  in  a  great  number 
would  greatly  impede  the  freedom  of  debate :  speaking  frankly, 
as  I  do  speak  at  a  Lay  Committee,  I  should  be  loth  to  pass  my 
rapier  though  the  apron  of  a  Bishop,  though  I  should  not  hesitate 
to  do  so  through  a  General,  or  an  ex-Governor,  or  a  Missionary, 
or  a  Presbyter.  In  a  lay  Committee  we  look  at  things,  as  they 
are,  and  not  through  Ecclesiastical  lenses.  I  attend  regularly 
at  other  Church  Committees,  and  I  know  from  experience  the 
difference.  When  I,  at  a  regular  Monthly  INIeeting  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  brought  forward  the 
question,  "that  the  appointment  of  a  INIission  Board  would  not 
"  advance  the  cause  of  IMissions,  which  we  all  had  at  heart," 
before  I  was  permitted  to  state  my  case,  it  was  announced  by 
the  Secretary,  that  the  Standing  Committee  were  of  opinion, 
that  mv  Motion  should  be  met  by  the  previous  question  without 
discussion,  and  this  was  accordingly  moved  by  a  JNIember  of 
the  Standing  Committee,  and  carried.  Some  of  those  present 
expressed  to  me  their  regret,  that  they  were  not  allowed  to  hear 
more.  A  few  years  ago,  when  I  and  the  late  Sir  Bartle  Frere 
brought  a  charge  against  a  Missionary  of  the  S.  P.  G.  in  i\Iada- 
gascar,  of  using  Slave-labour  in  his  ^Mission,  the  Father  of  this 
very  Missionary  took  the  chair  at  the  General  IMeeting  of  the 
S.P.  G.,  and  it  was  decided  by  a  majority,  that  no  change  should 
be  made.  I  mention  these  cases  to  show  the  necessity  of  a 
Lay  Committee,  where  there  is  no  respect  of  persons. 

Clause  V.  may  be  useful  or  not,  but  it  is  beyond  the  province 


(      21       ) 

of  a  Missionary  Association,  and  its  introduction  again  indicates 
tlie  hazy  notion  of  the  drafter  of  the  Resolutions  ;  he  was 
thinking  of  the  Church  of  England  and  its  affiliated  branches. 
The  Missionary  Society  thinks  only  of  the  Church  of  Christ, 
the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  the  non-Christian  world,  and  in 
full  confidence  leaves  th^  development  of  the  human  constitution 
of  the  nascent  Church  to  the  Christians  themselves,  when  they 
are  strong  enough  in  their  own  Synods  to  form  their  own  canons. 
Clause  VI.  allows  the  cloven  foot  to  protrude  from  under  the 
pacific  mantle  of  the  preceding  clauses.  "  Obsta  principiis  "  is 
a  wise  maxim.  Here  we  see  the  small  end  of  the  wedge, 
which  was  the  desire  of  the  late  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  as  com- 
municated in  1 88 1  to  the  Bishop  of  Kentucky.  The  Board  is 
clearly  an  inclined  plane,  down  which  the  ball  will  gently  roll. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  the  tiny  Church  of  Sweden,  which  is 
admitted  by  the  Bishop  of  Winchester  to  be  a  Church  in  the 
same  sense  as  the  National  Church  of  England,  has  missions  of 
its  own,  conducted  by  itself,  but  has  not  been  able  to  prevent 
the  establishment  of  an  independent  Missionary -Association. 
It  is  equally  remarkable,  that,  while  the  Convocation  of  Canter- 
bury is  forging  this  new  weapon  for  the  purpose  of  weakening 
the  independent  voluntary  actions  of  Churchmen,  which  has 
done  such  wonders  since  the  beginning  of  the  century,  the 
Bishop  of  Kentucky  tells  us,  that,  in  his  opinion,  the  wisest  action 
would  be  to  repeal  the  Mission-Canon  of  the  American  Church, 
and  let  cease,  for  a  time  at  least,  the  ideal  organization,  and 
descend  to  the  lower  plane  of  practical  common  sense,  wherever 
by  natural  affinity  men  of  like  views  and  feelings  will  aggregate 
themselves  into  organizations  for  work  along  the  line,  which 
they  believe  to  be  best.  He  suggests,  that  American  Church- 
men should  adopt  the  system  of  separate  and  independent 
missionary  organization,  which  has  given  such  ivonderfiil  life, 
vigour  and  experience,  and  success  to  the  Foreign  Missionary  Societies 
of  the  Church  of  England.  It  is  a  comfort  to  think  that,  outside 
the  Church  of  England  our  existing  practice  is  appreciated. 

The  Convocation  of  Canterbury  might,  in  its  wisdom,  or  lack 
of  wisdom,  appoint  a  Board  of  Lay- Patronage,  and  pass  a  series 
of  clauses,  analogous  to  the  above-mentioned  clauses,  and  no 
doubt  a  very  serious  evil  has  to  be  grappled  with,  unknown  to 
any  Church  but  that  of  the  Church  of  England.  But  the  Lay 
patrons  would  snap  their  fingers  at  such  a  Board  ;  the  trustees 
of  such  trusts,  as  the  Simeon-Trust,  would  refuse  to  listen  to  it. 
I  submit,  that  the  trustees  of  the  magnificent  alms,  collected  from 
the  congregations  of  England,  cannot  do  this  or  that,  because  a 
body,  which  has  no  legal  authority,  jumps,  as  it  were,  out  of  a 
box,  and  asks  them  to  do  it. 

A  Bishop  remarked  to  me,  that  his  idea  of  the  Committee  of 


(      22      ) 

the  C.M.S.  was,  that  it  was  a  tranquil  sea,  undisturbed  by  any 
current  or  storm.  This  is  not  the  case :  like  every  popular 
assembly  it  is  extremely  sensible  of  atmospheric  influences,  and 
nothing  but  the  Christian  spirit  of  forbearance,  which  is  the 
prevailing  feature  of  the  assembly,  prevents  trouble.  An  un- 
lucky letter  from  a  self-appointed  Board  would  not  be  favourably 
received  by  the  Committee  of  the  C.INI.S.  any  more  than  by  the 
House  of  Commons.  If  any  question  arose  in  Committee  as  to 
a  complication  in  the  Mission-field  (and  most  difficult  questions 
do  arise),  it  is  scarcely  probable,  that  a  collective  body,  in  which 
many  are  experts,  would  consult  another  body,  scarcely  any  of 
whom  had  ever  left  England,  and  to  whom  the  problem  would 
be  as  new  as  the  erection  of  a  bungalow  in  an  Indian  station, 
or  the  design  of  a  steamer  to  navigate  African  waters. 

One  of  the  most  important  duties  of  a  Missionary  Committee 
is  to  select  their  ordained  and  lay  Agents,  male  and  female. 
It  will  not  permit  any  other  authority  to  interfere  in  this, 
as  it  alone  represents  the  friends,  who  supply  the  resources. 
A  Committee  will  not  accept  an  ordained  Agent,  because  the 
Bishop  has  ordained  him.  It  has,  Avithin  the  wider  circle  of  the 
principles  of  the  National  Church,  a  narrower  circle  of  its  own 
peculiar  principles,  and  will  not  send  out  or  maintain  an  agent, 
who  departs  from  them,  whatever  may  be  the  wishes  of  the 
Mission-Board,  or  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese.  The  very 
existence  of  the  Association  depends  upon  the  unhesitating 
maintenance  of  this  prerogative. 

If  it  were  proposed  to  publish  a  first-rate  periodical,  edited  in 
a  thorough  large-hearted  Christian  spirit,  to  lay  before  the  world 
quarterly  the  progress  of  the  holy  war  against  false  religions, 
nothing  would  be  better.  Such  a  periodical  is  much  to  be 
desired.  Something  like  it  is  published  at  New  York,  The  Mis- 
sionary Review  of  the  whole  World;  but  such  a  publication  cannot 
be  expected  from  the  nominees  of  a  Convocation  of  the  Church 
of  England.  That  body,  about  thirty  years  ago,  woke  up  from 
a  peaceful  slumber  of  a  century  and  a  half,  and  scarcely  realizes, 
that  the  face  of  the  world  is  changed  since  it  fell  into  a  torpor, 
and  that  the  regions  of  the  Mahometan  and  Heathen,  still 
misdescribed  as  Turk  and  Infidel,  are  no  longer  unoccupied 
by  Christian  Missionaries.  In  this  year  1888,  in  Exeter  Hall, 
has  met  the  Second  Decennial  Congress  of  the  Missionary 
Societies  of  the  world.  Great  Britain  is  justly  proud  of  her 
Missionary  prowess,  but  of  the  Societies,  which  belong  to  the 
Church  of  England,  some  refused  to  join  in  this  magnificent 
gathering,  although  Germany,  France,  Switzerland,  Holland, 
Norway,  Sweden,  Russia,  and  the  United  States  of  North 
America,  were  fully  represented.  It  is  very  well  for  a  portion 
of  the  Church  of  England  to  ignore  the  action  of  the  Foreiarn 


(       23       ) 

Missions  of  the  British  Nation,  of  the  Continent,  and  North 
America,  but  they  exist  for  all  that.  Our  Lord  in  INIark  ix. 
38-40,  seems  to  give  all  Christians  a  rule  of  guidance,  which 
is  read  in  some  churches,  but  not  acted  upon. 

If  the  increase  of  volume,  weight  and  influence  is  as  great  in 
the  next  decade  as  it  has  been  in  the  last,  the  ill-judging 
majorities  of  the  Committees  of  English  Missionary  Societies, 
which  declined  to  send  delegates,  will  feel,  how  small  they  are, 
in  comparison  with  the  Missionary  Hosts  of  the  Period,  and  that 
they  have  made  a  mistake  in  abstaining  from  taking  part  in 
a  great  movement,  which  has  united  the  holiest  aspirations  of 
the  British,  American,  and  Continental  Protestant  Nations  to 
advance  the  Kingdom  of  Christ.  They  have  stood  aside,  and 
will  not  share  the  outpouring  of  the  blessing.  Nothing  more 
convincingly  proves  the  anachronism  of  a  Mission  Board  of 
the  Church  of  England,  than  the  fact,  that  a  minority  of  the 
Missionaries  of  the  Church  have  abstained  from  Union  of  God's 
people,  which  has  been  the  glory,  delight,  ■  and  prayerful  effort, 
of  a  majority. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  arrive  definitely  at  any  accurate  enumera- 
tion of  the  agencies  at  work  in  the  year  1888  to  spread  the 
Christian  religion  among  non-Christians,  but  something  like  the 
following  is  an  approximation,  the  result  of  long  and  serious 
study  and  careful  analysis,  but  by  no  means  final,  and  the 
Colonial  Diocesan  Organizations,  which  are  part  and  parcel 
of  the  Church  of  England,  are  included  : 

A.  Great  Britain  :  Church  of  England 25 

Nonconformist        3^ 

Catholic,  or  belonging  to  both  the  above 

united       27 

Colonial 26 

Total 114 

B.  United  States  of  North  America     56 

C.  Germany     20 

D.  The  Netherlands       14 

E.  Other  Nationahties ■•  20 


Grand  Total     224 

Some  of  these  enterprises,  or  Associations,  are  very  small, 
and  some  very  large ;  some  have  lasted  nearly,  or  entirely,  a 
century,  and  some  are  mere  mushrooms,  dependent  on  the  lives 
of  those  who  conduct  them.  Some  would  not  be  missed,  if  they 
collapsed  and  disappeared ;  the  weakness  and  failure  of  others 
would  cause   dismay  in   Asia,  Africa,  America,    and    Oceania. 


(     24     ) 

Spme,  like  the  Missions  to  the  Jews,  work  in  a  narrow  world  of 
their  own,  and  on  their  own  methods  ;  others  go  into  the  regions 
beyond,  and  fight  Hindu,  Mahometan,  Buddhist,  and  Pagan. 
Some  Associations  are  mere  satellites  of  the  greater  Associations, 
round  which  they  revolve,  being  medical,  female,  educational, 
or  missions  in  aid.  After  making  every  deduction,  the  enter- 
prises of  the  Church  of  England,  conducted  in  Great  Britain, 
are  the  following  only:  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel,  Church  Missionary  Society,  the  IMission  of  the  Univer- 
sities to  Dehli,  Calcutta,  and  East  Africa,  and  the  Cowley 
Fathers  ;  the  Melanesian,  and  South  American,  and  the  Christian 
Knowledge  Society ;  in  all  nine,  and  what  are  they  among  so 
many  ? 

Church  Work,  March  (with  additions),  1888. 

While  these  lines  are  passing  through  the  Press,  the  Pan- 
Anglican  Synod  has  assembled  in  Lambeth,  and  at  the  Annual 
IMeeting  of  the  S.  P.  G.  in  St.  James's  Hall,  the  Primate  ex- 
pressed himself,  in  my  hearing,  as  follows  : 

They  had  not  voices  from  Heaven  and  signs  and  direct  indications,  but  they 
had  before  their  eyes  constantly  the  deep  need  of  humanity,  and  it  was  for 
them  assuredly  to  gather  that  God  was  calling  them.  They  would  hear  that 
day  the  vi'itness  of  sixteen  men,  most  of  them  Missionaries,  and  when  they  had 
heard  them,  they  would  say  how  was  it  possible  for  England  not  assuredly  to 
gather,  that  the  Lord  had  called  her  above  all  nations  of  the  earth  ;  and  yet  they 
knew  too  well  that  there  were  whole  classes  of  the  community,  and  not  the 
most  uncultured  or  uneducated,  but  whole  classes  of  their  wealthiest,  best 
educated,  most  cultured  people,  who  scarcely  heard  spoken  of,  from  one 
year's  end  to  the  other,  the  work  of  Missions,  who  had  no  idea  whatever  of 
the  magnificent  principles,  which  were  being  developed,  who  had  no  notion 
at  all  of  the  facts  which  came  crowding  in  about  human  nature  and  human 
society,  which  assured  them  with  a  thousand-fold  increasing  witness  that  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  was  that  which  was  needed  to  mould  humanity  itself  into  a 
true  civilization,  much  more  into  fitness  for  the  eternity  to  which  they 
hastened.  It  was  with  that  conviction  that  quite  lately,  and  roen  now,  they 
■were  fonnittg  a  Board  of  Alissions.  They  felt  that  there  were  very  many  people, 
who  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  application  of  Missionary  Societies,  and  they 
wanted  to  constitute  a  Board  of  Missions,  consisting  very  largely  of  Laymen 
of  the  highest  and  most  cultivated  ranks,  which  should  not  make  it  its  business 
at  all  to  gather  money,  or  to  send  out  Missionaries,  but  which  should  support 
the  two  great  Societies  and  other  Mission  Societies  by  bringing  home  to  the 
knowledge,  as  well  as  to  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the  people,  what  a 
glorious  and  encouraging  work  was  to  be  done,  was  being  done,  and  could  be 
done  in  an  infinitely  multiplied  ratio. 

It  is  remarkable  how  two  fundamental  errors  underlie  this 
statement:  (i)  That  this  Country  was  called  above  all  countries 
to  the  duty  of  Evangelization :  of  this  there  is  no  proof.  (2) 
That  by  '■'■this  country^'  was  meant  the  Reformed  Episcopal 
Church  of  England,  established  by  Act  of  Parliament.  No  one, 
who  has  studied  the  subject,  can  ignore  the  vast  amount  of 
Missionary  work  done  by  Christians  in  America,  and  as  their 


(    25    ) 

population  amounts  to  sixty  millions  to  our  thirty  millions,  it  is 
probable,  that  within  the  next  decade  their  work  will  far  exceed 
British  work  in  volume ;  and  the  Continent  of  Europe  cannot 
be  forgotten.  And  as-  regards  Great  Britain  itself,  how  can  a 
monopoly  "of  the  Lord's  calling"  be  asserted  by  one  Church 
out  of  many  ?  The  Baptists,  the  Congregationalists,  and  Presby- 
terians, were  in  the  field  of  Missions  to  the  Heathen,  before  the 
Church  of  England  had  put  forth  the  least  effort,  and  all, 
that  the  two  great  Chartered  Societies,  the  S.  P.  C.  K.  and  S.  P.  G., 
could  do  in  that  stagnant  period,  was' to  assist  the  Danish 
Missiori  in  India.  The  Board  of  Missions  would  comprise 
twenty  Laymen  and  forty  Ecclesiastics,  and  the  kind  of  Laymen 
chosen  would  be  more  ornamental,  and  influential,  than  men 
acquainted  with  the  subject,  and  prepared  to  throw  them- 
selves into  it.  A  democratic  constitution  is  the  very  essence 
of  a  Missionary  Association,  and  in  this  Mission-Board  there 
would  be  all  the  elements  of  a  close  Corporation,  and  the 
excessive  number  of  the  Members  engenders  a  fear  that  the 
conduct  of  affairs  would  fall  into  the  hands  of  an  irresponsible 
Secretary,  or  one  or  two  pushing,  self-asserting  members. 

At  this  same  meeting  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  the  Metropolitan 
of  India,  laid  stress  on  the  necessity  of  a  Board  of  Missions. 
Had  these  remarks  been  made  by  the  Metropolitan  of 
Australia,  or  Canada,  or  New  Zealand,  they  would  have  carried 
weight.  But  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta  is  a  paid  servant  of  the 
Government  of  India,  appointed  by  the  Crown :  his  Clergy 
consist  partly  of  Military  Chaplains,  appointed  by  the  Secretary 
of  State  for  India  for  purely  official  duties :  but  mainly  of  the 
Agents  of  independent  Missionary  Associations.  The  great 
bulk  of  the  Mission  work  of  India,  however,  is  done,  and  done 
well,  by  British,  American,  and  German  Nonconformist  Associa- 
tions :  it  is  difficult  to  say  what  a  Board  of  Missions  could 
possibly  do  in  British  India,  except  add  another  item  to  the 
existing  elements  of  difficulty  and  disturbance.  It  is  necessary 
to  speak  out  plainly  at  this  conjuncture,  and  not  to  allow  a  false 
notion  to  become  current  from  the  use  of  vague  general  terms. 
It  is  to  be  hoped,  that  by  God's  guidance  the  different  Native 
Churches  of  India  will  coalesce,  and  of  their  own  accord,  and 
in  their  own  way,  and  at  their  own  time,  form  an  Indian  Church, 
consisting  of  bona-fide  residents  in  the  country,  speaking  their 
own  languages,  ministered  to  by  their  own  Pastors.  It  is  obvious, 
that  this  must  be  quite  outside  of  the  alien  Church  of  England, 
as  Great  Britain  may  possibly  lose  the  Empire  of  India ;  but 
the  Kingdom  of  Christ  is  independent  of  the  political  changes 
of  Empires,  and  will  last  for  ever. 

July,  1888. 


(    V    ) 


III. 

ERRORS  TO   BE  AVOIDED   BY  MISSIONARIES. 

The  work  of  the  Missionary  is  becoming  a  science  ;  the  opera- 
tions are  on  such  an  extensive  scale,  that  Mission  work  is  a 
factor  in  politics.  Hundreds  of  young  men  are  scattered  upon 
the  face  of  the  globe  without  possibility  of  supervision,  and  the 
ravages  of  the  climate  render  it  necessary,  that  there  should  be 
a  constant  flow  of  very  young  men  ;  high-spirited,  devoted, 
unselfish,  above  all  suspicion  of  motives,  but  very  inexperienced, 
and  possessed  often  of  zeal  without  knowledge.  It  is  more 
incumbent  on  the  Society,  which  sends  them  out,  to  put  its 
foot  down,  and  state  distinctly,  what  must  not  be  done.  The 
conduct  of  Missionary  agents  is  open,  like  all  human  actions, 
to  truthful  and  sincere  criticism,  and  it  is  better,  that  the  critic 
should  be  a  friendly  one,  and  one  who  is  well  acquainted  with 
the  circumstances  and  difficulties,  that  surround  the  Missionary, 
and  therefore  I  speak  out,  having  just  completed  my  review 
of  the  Missionary  operations  of  the  world  as  reported  up  to 
1887. 

A.  The  Missionary  must  not  raise  his  hand  against  a  native, 
or  restrict  his  natural  liberty. 

B.  The  Missionary  must  not  usurp  judicial,  magisterial,  or 
police,  powers. 

These  propositions  seem  so  simple  and  self-evident,  that  it 
might  appear  at  first  sight  waste  of  time  to  discuss  them;  but 
there  is  no  doubt,  that  natives,  male  and  female,  have  been 
flogged,  placed  in  durance,  and  even  been  killed,  by  Missionary 
agents,  sometimes  out  of  mere  impetuosity,  sometimes  in  the 
exercise  of  usurped  powers. 

It  need  scarcely  be  said,  that  in  settled  countries  like  British 
India,  acts  of  the  first  kind  would  not  remain  unpunished,  and 
acts  of  the  second  kind  would  be  impossible.  If  any  Missionary 
in  British  India  were  to  strike  a  native,  he  would  be  prosecuted 
in  the  nearest   Court  of  Justice.      I   myself  sent   an   English 


(     28     ) 

discharged  soldier  twelve  hundred  miles  from  the  Panjab  to 
Calcutta,  to  be  tried  on  the  charge  of  shooting  a  native,  who 
would  not  sell  him  a  sheep  ;  he  was  tried  by  one  of  the  Queen's 
Judges,  found  guilty,  and  hanged.  A  young  Officer  of  the  Royal 
Engineers  had  tied  up  his  native  servant  to  a  tree,  and  flogged 
him  in  order  to  extort  a  confession,  and  the  man  died.  On  my 
report,  the  Officer  was  tried  by  a  Court  Martial,  sentenced  to  a 
term  of  imprisonment,  and  dismissed  from  the  Army.  1  mention 
these  two  cases  to  show,  that  such  licence  is  not  permitted  to 
subjects  of  Her  Majesty :  the  Missionary  would  have  no  benefit 
of  clergy. 

Dear  in  the  sight  of  the  Empress  of  India,  and  her  Officials, 
is  the  life  and  liberty  of  the  humblest  of  Her  subjects,  and  of 
any  alien  living  under  Her  protection.  Under  the  rule  of  the 
old  East  India  Company,  the  principle  was  driven  home  to 
every  one  of  its  servants,  that  there  must  be  no  respect  of 
persons  in  the  Civil  and  Criminal  Courts,  and  a  great  respect 
for  Life  and  Liberty.  Hence  springs  the  feeling  of  disgust,  with 
which  I  regard  what  happens  in  other  countries. 

But  it  is  in  those  parts  of  the  world,  which  are  governed  by 
native  chiefs,  without  any  regular  form  of  law,  and  through 
which  the  Missionary  has  to  travel  with  his  caravan,  that  the 
difficulty  arises.  He  has  to  deal  with  a  long  train  of  hired 
porters,  who  are  ready  to  tarry,  to  stray,  or  even  decamp  with 
their  burden.  He  has  to  deal  with  the  natives,  always  ready 
to  steal  secretly,  or  plunder  openly  ;  his  temper  is  sorely  tried, 
the  weather  is  hot,  the  distance  to  be  traversed  great ;  the 
interest  of  the  work,  and  the  character  of  the  traveller  for 
efficiency,  seem  to  depend  upon  his  being  able  to  get  to  the 
fixed  halting-place ;  thieves  are  caught  red-handed ;  property 
mysteriously  disappears ;  then  comes  what  is  deemed  the 
necessity  for,  and  the  right,  to  tie  up,  and  flog  real  or  supposed 
delinquents.  A  case  has  occurred  of  a  man  being  left  tied  up, 
with  a  view  to  induce  a  confession,  and  dying  during  the  night. 
Then  comes  a  scandal,  an  outcry,  and  perhaps  a  justification 
in  the  following  terms :  that  it  is  impossible  to  travel  in  such 
countries  without  power  of  flogging  the  porters,  and  thrashing 
the  villagers,  and  that  all  Missionaries  are  compelled,  whether 
they  jike  it  or  not,  to  do  so. 

But  is  it  so }  The  young  Briton  out  on  a  shooting  ex- 
pedition may,  and  probably  does  do  so,  and  in  his  narrative 
he  is  loud  in  his  outcry,  that  his  camp  subsequently  is  attacked, 
reprisals  attempted,  and  one  of  his  party  killed.  The  ex- 
perienced leader  of  an  exploring  party  does  not  do  so  ;  he 
carries  out  the  policy  of  conciliation  with  the  inhabitants  of  the 
country,  through  which  he  passes,  and  as  to  his  own  party  he 
settles  with  them  beforehand  in  what  manner  delinquents  on 


(     29     ) 

the  march  are  to  l^e  punished.  Joseph  Thomson,  one  of  the 
most  successful  and  yet  the  gentlest  of  leaders,  tells  us,  how  his 
men  preferred,  that  delinquents  should  be  punished  by  strokes 
of  the  rattan,  rather  than  by  fine.  Thomson  in-both  his  expedi- 
tions brought  his  party  safe  back  in  good  condition,  and  Bishop 
Hannington,  who  traversed  his  route  through  Masai-land,  found 
no  stories  current  against  him,  but  plenty  against  the  Swahili 
traders,  who  had  followed  the  same  route. 

But  the  question  before  us  relates  to  a  Missionary,  the  preacher, 
and  practiser,  of  the  Gospel,  who  has. been  sent  out  to  convert 
a  heathen  people.  It  seems  to  go  without  saying,  that  such  men 
should  never  raise  their  hand  against  the  people,  except  in  the 
extreme  case  of  protecting  life  or  female  honour,  and  of  course 
the  ordinary  discipline  of  boys  in  a  school,  or  a  home  for 
released  slaves,  made  over  to  them  by  the  British  Government. 
That  a  woman  should  be  flogged,  however  evil  that  woman 
may  have  been,  fills  me  with  amazement ;  that  a  man  should 
be  tied  up  to  a  tree,  with  a  view  of  extracting  a  confession, 
and  should  die  in  consequence,  fills  me  with  horror.  I  do  not 
in  the  least  indicate  the  part  of  the  world,  Asia,  Africa,  America, 
or  Oceania,  in  which  these  things  have  happened,  or  the 
Missionaries,  to  whom  such  acts  are  imputed.  My  intimate 
knowledge  of  INIissions  extends  to  every  Society  and  every 
Mission-field.  Let  me  assume  their  possibility  only  for  the  sake 
of  argument,  and  to  enable  me  clearly  to  grasp  the  question 
of  how  Missions  are  to  be  conducted  amidst  wild  races  under 
such  circumstances. 

A  dear  good  Missionary,  who  gave  up  his  life  in  his  Mission 
Field,  a  tender-hearted,  loving  man,  has  still  left  the  following 
entries  in  his  journals,  made  from  day  to  day,  and  not  intended 
by  him  for  publication  ;  we  cannot  doubt  their  exactness  ;  these 
journals  are  now  piiblici  juris,  being  printed  and  sold  for 
sixpence. 

Page  3.   Up  twice  and  boxed  some  of  their  ears  (the  porters). 

Page  9.  Mild  measures  were  in  vain,  and  shouts  of  no  avail  ;  kicks  and 
blows  alone  got  them  together  once  more  into  the  spot  marked  out  as  camp. 

Page  10.  The  disobedience  of  my  men  is  fearful ;  I  have  had  to  administer 
some  tremendous  blows ;  people  may  say  what  they  like  ;  it  is  a  matter  of  life 
and  death. 

Page  II.  I  seized  my  gun,  and  rushed  back  in  time  to  see  one  of  the  sick 
men  pursued  with  spear  and  shield.  Without  a  moment's  hesitation,  to  spare 
his  life,  I  gave  tliem  a  charge  of  No.  2  shot  at  about  loO  yards,  and  magical 
was  the  effect  ;  they  fled  right  and  left. 

The  first  case  is  quoted  to  indicate  the  liberty,  which  Euro- 
peans consider  themselves  entitled  to  take  almost  in  a  friendly  way 
with  inferior  races,  with  whom  they  come  into  contact.  A  INIalay, 
after  such  an  insult  as  having  his  ears  boxed,  would  have  run  his 
dagger  into  his  assailant.     The  African  has  to  grin  and  bear  it. 


(     30     ) 

The  last  case  illustrates  the  painful  necessity  forced  upon  the 
traveller  to  protect  the  life  of  his  party  from  violent  attacks. 
The  two  intermediate  cases  can  under  no  circumstances  be 
justified.  If  the  natives  had  joined  together,  and  returned  blow 
for  blow,  the  Missionary  would  have  lost,  his  life  ;  it  is  a 
dangerous  game  to  resort  to  blows,  unless  you  are  supported 
by  a  superior  force. 

We  have  to  consider  also  the  miserable  consequences  of  a 
party  led  by  an  European  passing  through  a  village  and  commit- 
ting acts  of  violence.  Reprisals  are  taken  from  the  next  innocent 
European  traveller.  Some  years  ago,  a  Frenchman  named  Abbe 
De  Baize  (not  a  Missionary,  but  a  scientific  traveller)  behaved 
in  U-Gogo  with  great  violence  on  his  way  to  Lake  Tanganyika. 
A  British  Missionary  was  killed  in  revenge  a  few  days  after. 

I  do  not  of  course  allude  to  sudden  outbursts  of  anger  under 
cases  of  great  provocation;  these  are  to  be  deplored,  wherever  they 
occur,  and  no  one  deplores  them  more  than  the  offender  himself, 
when  he  recovers  his  calm.  The  above  quoted  journal  sup- 
plies us  with  an  instance  of  this  weakness,  page  5:  "Sorry 
to  say  that  I  lost  my  temper  with  men."  Such  confessions 
as  these  appear  in  the  journals  of  many  of  God's  saints;  the  heat 
of  the  weather,  the  anxiety  of  the  journey,  the  excitement,  and 
the  really  provoking  characters  of  the  people,  lead  to  such  regret- 
able  outbursts,  which  are  repented  of  in  tears,  and  are  atoned  for 
by  acts  of  considerate  kindness. 

The  Missionary  by  his  very  raison  d'etre  should  carefully  refrain 
from  such  things  ;  he  must  be  no  striker ;  he  must  not  strive,  but 
be  gentle  to  all  men,  and  must  take  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  his 
goods  ;  conciliation  must  be  made  use  of  to  its  utmost  extent ;  if 
it  is  agreed,  that  an  expedition  cannot  be  carried  on,  unless  the  ' 
leader  of  it  commits  day  by  day  acts  of  brute  violence,  the  reply 
is,  that  Missionary  expeditions  had  better  not  be  undertaken.  If 
Missions  can  only  be  worked  by  methods,  which  no  supporter 
of  the  Mission  would  dare  to  state  in  detail  on  a  Mission-platform, 
then  Missions  had  better  not  be  undertaken.  It  cannot  be 
imagined,  that  our  Lord's  disciples,  who  were  sent  out  two  and 
two,  or  the  Nestorian  Missionaries,  who  penetrated  with  slender 
resources  as  far  as  China,  or  the  humble  Moravian  Missionaries, 
acted  in  this  way.  The  line  of  duty  is  very  clear,  and  I  can 
indicate  IMissionary  Societies,  which  recognize,  and  practise, 
this  duty. 

I  seem  to  hear  some  IMissionary  cry  out,  who  has  been  driven 
wild  by  the  heat  and  insects  : 

Oh  !  if  you  only  knew  the  difficuUies,  you  would  not  write  like  this  ;  if  you 
•were  in  similar  circumstances,  you  would  flog  your  men,  and  thrash  the 
villagers,  like  everybody  else. 

Now  I  have  heard  very  young  men  on  their  first  arrival   in 


(     31     ) 

India  talk  in  the  same  way,  and  yet  no  experienced  Anglo-Indian 
ever  allows  himself  to  strike  a  servant,  or  ill-use  a  villager ;  he 
finds  out  that  it  is  not  necessary.  I  never  heard  of  a  charge 
against  a  Missionary  in  India  of  any  act  of  this  kind.  It  is 
more  important  to  draw  attention  to  the  subject  in  Africa,  as  the 
natives  have  discovered,  that  Europeans  are  not  the  benevolent 
angels,  which  they  once  appeared  to  be ;  it  has  got  about  that 
one  nation  at  least,  the  German,  is  ' '  eating  up "  the  country, 
and  we  may  expect  a  period  of  difficulty  and  violence,  and  much 
hindrance  to  the  great  duty  of  the  Missionary, 

Nor  should  the  Missionary  usurp,  without  any  licence,  merely 
by  his  own  arbitrary  will,  judicial,  magisterial,  or  police  autho- 
rity;  the  facts  axQ  piiblici  Juris,  so  it  may  be  stated,  that  in  one 
Mission  the  Missionary  tried,  sentenced,  and  executed  an 
off"ender,  and  was  very  properly  dismissed  for  so  doing.  But 
that  the  whole  story  is  in  print,  it  would  seem  incredible,  that  a 
Missionary  should  suggest  to  husbands  to  flog  their  wives  for 
infidelity,  in  the  presence  of  witnesses.  The  air  of  Africa  seems 
to  have  an  astounding  effect  on  the  intelligence  and  consciences 
of  Christian  ministers,  and  English  gentlemen.  In  the  absence 
of  any  constituted  ruler,  there  is  always  some  chief,  or  village 
elder,  to  whom  criminal  and  police  jurisdiction  belongs,  and 
who  would  no  doubt  consult  a  friendly  Missionary,  and  gradually 
build  up  a  system  of  Government.  Every  British  subject  is 
liable  to  be  prosecuted  for  certain  oftences  in  the  Courts  of  Great 
Britain,  although  such  offences  were  committed  outside  of  the 
British  Dominions,  and  no  one  is  authorized  to  exercise  any  sort 
of  jurisdiction,  unless  he  has  been  duly  authorized  to  do  so  by 
Her  Majesty,  and  it  is  exceedingly  inexpedient,  that  any  Mission- 
ary should  be  vested  with  any  such  power.  His  weapons  are 
not  carnal.  I  lately  heard  a  Missionary  of  great  experience,  at 
a  public  meeting,  strongly  deprecate  the  idea,  that  a  Missionary 
should  assume  the  position  and  the  duty  of  a  Chieftain,  or  put 
forth  the  appearance  of  a  man  with  secular  Authority :  he  has 
no  power  to  enforce  his  orders,  and  as  a  Christian  he  could  not 
use  the  methods  adopted  by  a  Native  Chief. 

There  is  one  blemish,  from  which  British  and  American 
]\Iissionaries  are  entirely  free ;  that  is,  making  the  Mission  a 
stepping-stone  to  and  a  motive  for  political  aggrandizement. 
But  it  is  the  raison  d'etre,  and  avowed  object,  of  the  French 
INIissionary,  to  extend  the  influence  of  France,  and  the  French 
Government  thoroughly  understands  this,  and  makes  use  of  it. 
The  French  Government  is  confessedly  free  from  any  religious 
sentiment,  and  makes  short  work  with  the  Jesuits,  and  other 
Religious  Orders,  when  it  appears  advisable,  but  it  tries  in  China 
to  maintain  its  right,  not  only  to  be  the  protector  of  French 
Missionaries,  which  would  be  natural  enough,  but  of  all  Roman 


(     32     ) 

Catholic  Missionaries,  British,  German,  Italian,  and  Spanish  ; 
and  although  the  Pope  offers  to  take  charge  of  the  Missionaries 
of  his  own  Church,  and  the  Chinese  Government  greatly  prefers 
this  arrangement,  the  French  Government  is  still  striving  to 
maintain  this  right  as  the  leoitimate  political  influence  of  France. 
In  every  report  of  a  French  Missionary,  allusion  is  made  to 
France,  as  if  the  religion  which  they  wish  to  extend  were  the 
French  religion. 

I  quote  a  report  from  a  French  Missionary  in  British  India, 
dated  May  2, 1 888  {Missions  Catholiqties,]\i\y,  1888),  this  very  year  : 

Lorsqu'un  eveque  fera  la  consecration  de  I'Eglise  de  Chetput,  I'lmmaculee 
Conception  descendra  du  ciel  avec  sa  cour,  et  dira  en  souriant  a  ses  anges  : 
"  Mes  enfants  de  FRANCE  m'ont  eleve  ce  sanctuaire  en  ces  pays  lointains, 
"  qu'ils  en  soient  a  jamais  benis."  Et  les  anges  repondront  :  "  Oui,  oui,  a 
"  jamais  benis"  ! 

We  see  that  the  impudent  Priest  not  only  knew  what  the  Virgin 
Mary  would  do  at  some  future  unknown  period,  but  what  she  and 
the  Angels  would  say. 

Large  sums  were  voted  to  Cardinal  Lavigerie,  Bishop  of 
Carthage,  for  the  political  influence  exercised  by  him  in  Tunis, 
before  and  after  the  annexation.  Even  Protestant  French 
Missionaries  are  not  free  from  this  snare,  for  the  Legion 
of  Honour  has  been  conferred  on  an  old  French  Missionary, 
M.  Casalis,  "  for  extending  the  interests  of  France  in  Basutoland," 
in  the  sphere  of  British  influence  in  South  Africa,  where  the 
French  can  have  no  legitimate  interests  whatsoever.  There  are 
British  jNIissionaries  in  Italy,  Spain,  and  Portugal.  It  would  be 
hard  to  imagine  a  Companionship  of  the  Bath  being  conferred 
upon  them  for  advancing  British  interests  in  these  countries.  It 
is  to  be  hoped,  that  the  British  and  American  INIissionaries  will 
never  lend  themselves  to  become  political  instruments,  or 
meddle  in  any  way  with  the  affairs  of  earthly  administration, 
as  their  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world. 

A  new  difficulty  has  arisen  within  the  last  year.  Practically 
the  French  Government  render  the  establishment  of  a  Mission  of 
any  other  nation  in  a  French  colony  impossible,  by  allowing 
no  schools  to  be  opened,  unless  the  French  language  is  the 
vehicle  of  teaching,  and  the  teacher  holds  a  French  certificate. 
The  object  of  this  precaution  is  their  jealous  fear,  lest  other 
nations  should  get  any  influence  in  their  colonies,  for  they 
attribute  falsely  to  other  nations  the  practice  of  their  own  INIis- 
sionaries. The  firm  conviction  of  the  French  governing  classes 
is,  that  Christian  Missions  are  only  a  kind  of  machinery  for 
extending  national  political  influence,  and  the  French  Roman 
Catholic  JNIissionaries  thoroughly  realize  these  views,  and, 
although  they  hate  the  Republican  Government,  and  are  cor- 
dially hated  in  return,  they  are  tolerated  and  protected,  because 


(     33     ) 

they  are  of  use.  From  this  point  of  view  a  British  or  American 
Mission  is  not  only  of  no  use,  but,  if  animated  with  the  same 
principles,  a  positive  danger ;  consequently  the  conditions, 
under  which  they  are  admitted,  are  such,  that  they  amount  to 
exclusions.  The  difficulties  in  Madagascar  were  very  much 
stirred  up,  and  aggravated,  by  the  desire  of  the  French  Priests 
to  get  rid  of  the  Protestant  Mission.  In  Tahiti  the  famous 
British  Mission,  which,  converted  that  Island,  has  sorrowfully 
been  obliged  to  leave  that  field.  The  strong  objection  felt  in 
Great  Britain  to  the  occupation  of  the  New  Hebrides  by  the 
French  is  the  certainty,  that  all  the  British  Protestant  Missions 
would  be  destroyed.  In  the  Loyalty  Islands  they  are  being 
crushed  out.  On  the  Gabun  in  West  Africa,  the  American 
Missionaries  are  being  driven  to  the  necessity  of  leaving. 

This  is  a  very  important  case,  as  illustrative  of  the  principle 
involved.  The  Presbyterian  Missionary  Society  reports,  that 
they  have  been  compelled  to  withdraw  from  their  Mission  on 
the  Gabiin  and  at  Korisko,  because  the  French  Government 
insists,  that  all  instruction  should  be  conducted  in  the  French 
language,  and  this  was  impossible  for  the  American  Missionaries 
to  do.  So  their  Schools  were  disbanded,  and  all  prospect  of 
teaching  the  children  to  read  the  Scriptures  in  their  own  native 
tongue,  and  of  trai7iing  Native  Ministers,  was  destroyed.  The 
Mission  was  offered  to  the  French  Protestant  Missionary  Society 
at  Paris,  but  their  limited  resources  did  not  allow  them  to  take 
it  up :  they  have,  however,  helped  the  American  Presbyterians 
to  get  competent  teachers  of  Evangelical  views  and  a  Missionary 
spirit  to  labour  in  connection  with  them,  and  nearly  entirely 
at  their  cost. 

Russia  and  Austria  are  more  consistent,  and  allow  none 
at  all  in  their  conquered  provinces.  The  Gerijian  Missionary 
has  hitherto  had  the  free  run  of  the  British  and  Dutch  Colonies, 
and  in  British  India  has  enjoyed  precisely  the  same  advantages 
as  the  British  IMissionary.  Since  however  the  German  nation 
has  gone  in  for  colonies,  the  cry  has  gone  forth  for  German 
Missionaries  and  no  other,  in  German  colonies.  There  was  some 
show  of  reason  perhaps  in  not  allowing  the  French  Jesuit, 
with  his  known  proclivities,  to  establish  himself  in  a  German 
colony,  but  the  British  also  are  to  be  excluded  in  full  confidence, 
that  the  idea  of  reprisals  and  the  ejection  of  the  German  Mis- 
sionary from  India  and  the  African  colonies,  would  never  be 
thought  of  by  an  Englishman,  who  loves  free  religion  as  much 
as  free  trade.  The  French  people,  under  the  idea  that  French 
is  in  fact  the  finest  language  in  the  world,  allow  the  use  of 
none  other  in  their  colonies ;  the  natives  are  taught  to  speak 
French  to  save  the  trouble  of  the  French  functionaries'  acquiring 
a  knowledge  of  the  language  of  the  people.     They  realize  too 


(     34    ) 

late  the  tremendous  mistake,  which  was  made  two  hundred 
years  ago,  in  not  compelling  the  inhabitants  of  Alsace  and 
Lorraine  to  adopt  the  French  language  at  the  time  of  their 
conquest.  It  is  singular  that  the  Germans  are  falling  into  the 
same  error,  and  are  sending  out  German  Missionaries  and  State- 
teachers  of  the  German  language  to  the  Kamerun  country, 
whence  they  have  ejected  the  English  Baptist  Mission,  to  try 
to  efface  any  knowledge  of  English,  which  the  people  may  have 
acquired,  and  introduce  the  German  language.  It  remains  to 
be  seen  whether  this  is  possible.  At  any  rate,  it  is  a  narrow 
view  to  take  of  colonial  policy,  and  a  wrong  view  of  Missionary 
duty. 

Another  topic  remains.  When  a  Missionary  is  in  danger 
from  the  tyranny  of  a  Native  Ruler,  the  cry  is  for  the  inter- 
ference of  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh.  If  there  is  one  thing,  which 
the  Missionary  puts  forward  more  than  another,  it  is,  that  he  has 
counted  the  cost,  and  carries  his  life  in  his  hands.  He  asks  no 
leave  of  Caesar ;  he  would  resent  any  interference  of  Caesar,  if 
he  attempted  to  arrest  his  progress ;  great  dissatisfaction  is 
always  expressed  against  the  Government  of  British  India, 
because  it  will  not  allow  any  Missionaries  to  cross  the  boundary 
into  Afghanistan.  Under  what  possible  circumstances  then  can 
can  those,  who  thoroughly  understand  the  theory,  upon  which 
Missions  are  based,  talk  about  sending  armies  to  rescue  Mis- 
sionaries ?  The  Geneva  periodical,  U Afrique  Explore  et  Civilise, 
tells  us,  that  Cardinal  Lavigerie,  Bishop  of  Carthage,  has  pressed 
upon  France,  Great  Britain,  Belgium  and  Germany,  to  take 
measures  to  insure  the  protection  of  British  and  French  Mission- 
aries at  U-Ganda  ;  and  yet,  if  any  Government  had  attempted  to 
restrain  his  Eminence  from  sending  his  agents  to  that  country; 
there  would  have  been  loud  cries  of  intolerance,  and  the  duty 
of  trusting  in  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  and  obeying  God  rather  than 
man.  As  is  well  known  in  the  Chinese  Empire,  the  French 
Minister  is  in  constant  hot  water  for  his  interference  in  Mis- 
sionary troubles,  and  the  Native  converts  are  encouraged  to 
appeal  to  France  against  their  own  National  Government.  No 
wonder  that  the  very  name  of  Missions  is  unpopular,  when 
conducted  in  such  a  manner. 

The  Missionary  must  recollect,  that  the  service  of  the  Lord 
is  not  limited  by  nation,  language,  or  race.  Even  the  good 
American  Missionaries  sometimes  forget  this,  for  I  read  in  the 
Missionary  Herald,  that  in  the  little  Island  of  Ponape,  a  mere 
speck  in  Mikronesia,  and  part  of  the  group  of  the  Caroline 
Islands,  which  belong  to  Spain,  the  Sunday-School  children  of 
the  native  converts  kept  the  "Glorious  Fourth  of  July"  with 
great  ceremonial.  How  people  would  laugh,  if  the  converts  in 
the  British  ]\Iissions  of  New  Guinea  and  the  Solomon  Islands 


.     (    35    ) 

were  to  celebrate  the  anniversary  of  the  Battle  of  Waterloo,  or 
the  Queen's  Jubilee.  Why  not  have  their  rejoicings  on  Christmas 
Day  and  Easter  Day,  in  anticipation  of  the  day,  when  Ephraim 
shall  not  envy  Judah,  and  Judah  shall  not  vex  Ephraim  ?  The 
French  religious  periodicals  are  full  of  lamentable  details  of 
the  destruction  of  the  Roman  Catholic  converts  in  Tonquin, 
and  forget,  that  these  same  converts  supplied  fighting-men  to 
resist  their  own  national  Sovereign  in  his  struggle  against 
foreign  invaders. 

Another  grave  error  is  one,  into  which  some  of  the  smaller 
INIissionary  Societies,  and  individual  ]\Iissionaries,  or  the  par- 
ticular Missionaries  of  one  Field,  have  fallen,  but  from  which 
the  great  Societies  of  all  denominations  have  on  the  whole 
kept  themselves  free.  It  is  necessary  to  speak  out,  as  the  error 
has  become  very  serious,  alienates  friends,  drives  away  those, 
who  might  join  us,  and,  what  is  more  sad,  makes  the  movement, 
the  grand  desire  to  evangelize  the  world,  ridiculous.  It  is  this. 
As  the  different  corners  of  the  world  are  revealed  to  us,  frightful 
moral  evils  are  m.ade  manifest.  Those,  who  are  acquainted  with 
the  Mysteries  of  London  and  Paris,  know,  that  the  vices  of  these 
great  cities  were  never  exceeded  in  ancient  times,  nor  are  they 
equalled  elsewhere  in  modern  times.  In  Oriental  towns  these 
defects  appear  on  the  surface :  the  Missionary,  generally  a 
young  man,  totally  inexperienced  in  the  manifold  forms  of 
human  vice,  localized  in  one  part  of  the  world,  is  aghast  at  what 
he  sees,  or  hears  of,  the  sins  and  sufferings,  and  abominable 
customs  of  mankind.  He  is  tempted  to  join  fanatical  Asso- 
ciations, and  run  a  tilt  against  Governments,  Sovereigns, 
Chartered  Companies,  Ancient  Customs,  Commerce  in  Liquors 
and  Drugs,  Slavery,  Caste,  and  such  like.  In  these  last  days 
Missionaries  have  been  foolish  enough  to  take  an  interest  in 
the  morals  of  the  British  Soldier,  send  spies  into  his  Camp,  and 
Barracks,  and  denounce  the  alleged  depravity  of  the  private 
life  of  the  men,  by  whose  valour  and  steadfastness  the  British 
Empire  is  sustained.  This  is  a  great  departure  from  the 
example  set  to  us  by  the  first  and  greatest  of  Missionaries, 
St.  Paul. 

And  I  determined  not  to  know  anything  among  you  save  Jesus  Christ  and 
Him  crucified.  —  i  Corinthians  ii.  2. 

And  yet  Corinth  and  Rome  were  cities  teeming  with  unmention- 
able abominations  :  in  the  reign  of  Nero  Cruelty  in  every  form 
was  rampant.  The  Missionary's  message  is  toman's  evil  heart : 
the  cure  of  all  human  evils  is  not  by  deputations  to  the  Powers 
that  be,  or  by  passing  vain  resolutions  on  excited  platforms, 
which  are  not  worth  the  paper,  on  which  they  are  engrossed, 
or  by  neglecting  the  foolishness  of  Preaching  for  the  supposed 
wisdom  of  oratory  and  invective.     Let   the    Missionary   leave 


(     36    ) 

the  things  of  C»sar  to  Caesar,  and  keep  himself  to  the  things 
of  God. 

I  submit  these  subjects  to  the  consideration  of  the  Committees 
of  Missionary  Societies.  The  stream  of  Missionaries  is  ever 
flowing,  and  new  men  succeeding  to  old.  It  is  more  important 
that  the  Committee,  which  is  permanent  in  its  collective 
capacity,  should  be  firm,  and  set  its  face  like  a  flint  against: 

I.  Any  personal  ill-usage  or  restraint  of  a  native  by  its  agents. 

II.  Any  usurpation  of  authority,  other  than  spiritual,  by  its 
agents. 

III.  Any  tendency  to  put  Missions  forward  as  a  machinery 
for  political  aggrandizement. 

IV.  Any  tendency  to  imagine,  that  the  nationality  of  the 
Missionary  is  a  factor  of  the  least  weight  or  moment  in  his 
divine  commission  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

V.  Any  appeal  to  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh  to  protect  INIissions, 
or  rescue  JMissionaries,  or  avenge  the  death  of  Missionaries. 
If  the  Missionary  has  no  stomach  for  the  fight,  let  him  withdraw 
from  a  contest,  to  which  he  is  not  equal.  Christian  men  and 
women  will  never  be  wanting  to  take  up  the  Cross,  whatever 
may  be  the  dangers  and  perils. 

VI.  Any  attempt  to  introduce  among  his  converts  the 
historical  diff"erences  of  the  great  nations  of  Europe  and 
America,  and  any  suggestion,  that  Christianity  is  limited,  and 
that  the  right  of  preaching  the  Gospel  is  restricted  by  the 
political  circumstances  of  the  country,  or  the  nationality  of 
the  INIissionary,  Evil  rulers  may  try  to  enforce  such  restrictions, 
but  they  are  fighting  against  God. 

VII.  Any  tendency  of  its  agents  to  take  up  the  part  of  a 
Political  or  Moral  or  Social  Agitator  on  matters,  which  lie 
outside  the  duty  of  preaching  the  Gospel. 

Church  Work,  April,  1888  (with  additions). 


(     37    ) 


IV. 


RELATION  OF  MISSIONARIES  TO  GREAT  EUROPEAN 
AND  ASIATIC   GOVERNMENTS. 

A  PERIOD  has  arrived  in  the  history  of  Missions  to  the  non- 
Christian  world,  when  it  is  as  well  to  reflect  calmly,  whether  it 
be  wise  or  just,  or  consistent  with  the  principles  of  the  Religion, 
which  it  is  our  object  to  extend,  to  do  what  may  be  generally 
called  "  lean  on  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh,"  and  permit  Missionaries, 
and  their  converts,  to  appeal  to  Treaties,  and  solicit  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Powers  that  be.  And  it  is  more  particularly 
necessary  for  British  Missionaries  to  reflect  upon  this  subject, 
as  it  is  not  the  British  Religion,  which  they  are  preaching,  but 
the  Christian,  and  one  that  is  equally  true,  whether  the  message 
be  delivered  by  a  British  Missionary,  who  has  behind  him  the 
force  of  a  Giant,  or  by  the  Swedish,  Danish,  or  Swiss,  Missionary, 
who  have  to  depend  only  upon  the  goodness  of  their  cause,  and 
the  protection  of  their  Divine  Master. 

I  purposely  omit  any  allusion  to  any  particular  Societies,  or 
particular  instances  of  Appeals  to  the  British  Government. 
Missions  to  the  Natives  of  Asia  and  Africa  and  Oceania  are 
still,  as  it  were,  in  their  infancy,  but  may  be  expected  to  assume 
proportions  in  the  next  generation  of  a  magnitude  far  beyond 
the  wildest  dreams,  and  it  will  be  an  unmixed  blessing  to  them, 
both  in  their  temporal  and  spiritual  matters,  that  God  should 
have  put  it  into  the  heart  of  Christian  Nations  to  send  out  the 
very  salt  of  their  people  to  settle  amidst  the  Heathen,  not  for 
any  purpose  of  Commerce,  or  Conquest,  but  from  motives  of 
pure  Benevolence.  Now  Missions  may  be  planted,  and  as  a 
fact  have  been  planted,  in  countries,  where  Political  circum- 
stances represent  two  very  distinct  varieties. 

I.  Where  the  Political  Power  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  a 
civilized  European  Government,  totally  independent  of  foreign 
control. 

II.  Where  there  is  a  Government  established  upon  a  basis  of 
Asiatic  Civilization,  nominally  independent,  but  circumscribed 
in  its  action  by  Treaties,  and  the  powerful  Logic  of  Ships  and 
Gunboats  of  foreign  Nations. 


(     38     ) 

It  is  no  longer  a  matter  of  surprise  to  me,  why  Russia,  Austria, 
France,  Italy,  Spain,  and  Portugal,  object  to  the  appearance 
of  a  Missionary  in  their  dominions,  or  their  Colonies.  The 
Governments  of  these  countries  have  only  to  mark  the  conduct 
of  the  Missionaries  in  British  India,  China  and  Turkey.  The 
most  mistaken  assertions  are  made  in  the  most  unscrupulous 
way.  Every  travelling  Grievance-Monger  quotes  a  Missionary 
as  his  authority.  Holding  as  we  do  the  Empire  of  British 
India  with  a  very  small  European  army,  which  has  to  be  renewed 
within  a  fearfully  brief  period,  and  the  control  of  which  is  an 
anxious  problem,  it  might  have  been  imagined  that  those,  who 
live  under  the  protection  of  that  army,  would  have  been  cautious 
in  their  mode  of  making  statements.  I  can  recollect  the  time, 
when  a  portion  of  the  British  Army,  the  European  soldiers, 
mutinied  upon  a  purely  Regimental  matter,  and  the  authorities 
were  in  a  frightful  dilemma  :  w^hat  would  become  of  the  Mis- 
sionaries, their  Schools,  and  their  Chapels,  and  converts,  if 
the  British  soldiers,  in  resentment  for  the  hard  things,  said  by 
Missionaries  about  them,  were  to  mutiny :  there  must  indeed 
be  a  deep  feeling  of  indignation  throughout  Military  Circles, 
especially  when  an  American  citizen  at  a  great  meeting  in 
Exeter  Hall  is  put  forward  to  second  a  Resolution,  condemning 
the  British  Army  as  vicious  and  disreputable,  and  to  state 
broadly  that  the  conduct  of  the  Government  of  India  was  worse 
than  the  Bulgarian  atrocities  of  the  Turks,  and  that  the  British 
deserved  to  be  turned  out  of  India  bag  and  baggage.  A  British 
Missionary  audience  received  these  remarks  with  applause,  and 
a  paid  servant  of  the  British  State  put  the  Resolution  thus 
supported  to  the  meeting,  and  was  not  ashamed.  I  am  not  a 
Soldier,  but  I  have  lived  amidst  Soldiers,  have  myself  witnessed 
the  good  behaviour  of  troops  on  the  march,  and  their  steadiness 
in  great  battles,  and  I  think  it  unworthy  of  a  INIissionary  to  creep 
into  a  Regimental  Canteen,  and  note  the  amount  of  liquor 
consumed,  or  stand  behind  the  curtain,  and  spy  into  the  dis- 
gusting mysteries  of  a  house  of  ill-fame.  How  much  better 
employed  would  a  man  with  such  low  tastes  be  as  local  agent 
of  one  of  our  London  Vigilance-Committees  ! 

The  Phnpire  of  British  India  presents  a  unique  instance  of 
the  first  variety.  There  is  no  country  in  the  World,  and  never 
has  been  in  the  Annals  of  History,  where  such  entire  liberty  is 
given  to  the  Preacher  of  Spiritual  Truths,  either  by  word  of 
Mouth,  or  by  printed  Matter.  No  permission  is  required  or 
asked  for.  Protection  of  person  and  property,  absolute  and 
unrestricted,  is  conceded.  Property  in  land  may  be  purchased, 
or  leased  ;  no  law  of  Mortmain,  no  legal  incapacity  of  any  kind 
exists  ;  if  the  Mahometan,  or  Buddhist,  or  Brahmoist,  were  to 
set  on  foot  Missions,  the  Magistrate,  Gallio-like,  would  care  not 


(     39    ) 

for  such  things.  On  the  other  hand,  Civil  and  Religious  Liberty 
is  absolutely  guaranteed  to  all  classes :  so  long,  as  the  Peace  is 
preserved,  and  the  rights  of  other  subjects  are  respected, 
Religionists  of  all  kinds  may  erect  places  of  worship,  may  ring 
bells,  and  fire  guns,  lead  out  long  processions,  and  go  upon 
distant  pilgrimages,  without  let  or  hindrance.  If,  however,  the 
preacher  of  one  set  of  Spiritual  Doctrines  should  attempt  to 
erect  a  place  of  worship  or  assembly  in  offensive  proximity  to 
that  of  another;  if  any  act  of  illegal  provocation  or  insult  to  the 
feelings  of  any  portion  of  Her  Majesty's  subjects  were  to  be 
committed  under  the  guise  of  Religion,  the  Government  would 
promptly  interfere  to  anticipate  the  destruction  of  property, 
or  the  shedding  of  blood.  To  the  honour  of  Christian  Mis- 
sionaries in  British  India  be  it  said,  that  no  such  act  has  ever 
been  attempted  by  them  ;  no  improper  applications  to  a  Magis- 
trate are  made,  or,  if  made,  would  be  attended  to  ;  in  only  one 
instance  do  I  recollect  a  case  of  a  Chapel  being  ordered  to  be 
removed  by  the  Government,  because  it  was  erected  on  the 
edge  of  a  sacred  Tank. 

In  such  a  Utopia  of  Missions  are  the  Missionaries  satisfied  ? 
Not  in  the  least !  Quo  plus  haheant  eo  plus  cupiunt.  Not  even 
the  Government  of  China  or  Turkey  has  been  so  unsparingly 
abused  by  the  INIissionary,  as  the  just  and  impartial  Government 
of  India,  which  is  represented  in  its  Governors,  and  Councils, 
and  Men  in  Authority,  by  Protestant,  Roman  Catholic,  Jew, 
Hindu,  Mahometan,  and  Parsi  Members,  not  one  of  whom  has 
ever  been  known  to  deviate  from  the  line  of  strict  impartiality 
in  his  official  position.  The  fact  is,  that  the  Protestant  Mis- 
sionary in  his  heart  of  hearts  desires  more  than  a  free  field 
to  be  conceded  to  him ;  he  asks  for  a  Neutrality  in  Educational 
Matters,  benevolent  to  his  way  of  thinking,  but  which  he  would 
resent,  if  conceded  to  the  way  of  thinking  of  others.  If 
the  Jesuits  got  round  the  Government,  their  influence  would 
be  denounced.  The  object  of  the  Government  of  India  is  to 
retain  the  country  in  the  peaceful  enjoyment  of  Civil  and 
Religious  Liberty;  the  Missionary  in  India  should  consider  the 
circumstances  of  other  Heathen  countries,  and  so  use  his  own 
Christian  privilege,  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  privilege  of 
others :  if  we  lost  India,  we  should  lose  the  greatest  field  for 
Missions,  that  the  world  ever  saw. 

The  liberties,  taken  by  some  Missionaries,  are  extraordinary. 
An  ofiicer,  high  in  employ,  sent  me  a  copy  of  a  letter,  which  I 
have  before  me,  actually  written  by  a  Missionary  to  the  Prime 
INIinister  of  the  Sovereign  Prince,  within  whose  territory  he  had 
with  great  difficulty  obtained  leave  to  open  a  Hospital,  charging 
him  with  sending  off  boat-loads  of  people  to  be  got  rid  of 
feloniously  during  the  night :  he  admits  in  the  letter,  that  he  had 


(    40    ) 

no  proof,  but  could  not  help  thinking,  that  there  was  truth  in 
the  report.  In  a  lofty  style,  he  writes,  that  he  cannot  pass  over 
the  matter  in  silence,  until  full  inquiry  is  made,  and  he  (the 
Missionary)  is  satisfied,  that  the  rumour  is  false.  The  Sovereign 
Prince  ordered  an  inquiry  to  be  made,  and  naturally  asked  for 
the  names  of  the  informants  of  the  Missionary,  which  he  declined 
to  give,  and  the  matter  dropped.  The  question  naturally  suggests 
itself.  Who  made  the  Missionary  ruler  or  judge  in  such  a  matter  } 
Can  it  be  a  matter  of  surprise,  if  a  Native  Sovereign  in  India 
does  his  best  to  keep  a  Missionary  out  of  his  territory .? 

A  question  of  Rent  arose  between  the  Tenants  and  Landowners 
in  a  Province  of  India.  It  would  hardly  be  expected,  that  a 
]\Iissionary  would  take  a  leading  part  in  a  kind  of  agrarian  war. 
My  own  opinion  was,  that  his  viewof  the  case  was  the  right  one, 
but  it  was  not  right  for  him  to  have  any  view  at  all :  in  fact,  he 
was  acting  precisely,  as  the  Romish  Priests  are  acting  in  Ireland 
now,  siding  with  the  Tenants  against  the  Landowners.  He 
became  very  popular  with  one  party,  but  so  unpopular  with  the 
other,  that  on  a  charge  brought  he  had  a  sentence  of  one  month 
in  gaol.  Now  all  this  must  disturb  the  quiet  routine  of  Gospel 
preaching,  which  is  the  only  cause  of  the  existence  of  the 
Missionary. 

So  long  as  the  British  power  is  strong  and  unshaken,  India 
has  been  open  to  all  comers,  and  no  passports,  or  permissions 
to  sojourn,  are  required.  But  in  time  of  peril  like  the  Mutinies, 
passports  are  required  from  all  foreigners.  An  amusing  case 
occurred  in  1857-58:  the  American  Missionaries,  as  a  matter  of 
form,  were  called  upon  to  take  out  passports,  and  one  of  them 
declined,  thanking  God,  that  he  was  an  Irishman  !  This  might 
have  surprised  any  one  not  familiar  with  Missionary  life.  In  a 
late  visit  to  Damascus  I  find  that  the  leading  IMissionary  of  the 
Irish  ]\Iission  was  an  American,  and  in  Egypt  one  of  the  leading 
Missionaries  of  the  American  Mission  was  a  Scotchman.  Return- 
ing to  the  main  subject,  it  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed  upon 
Missionaries,  that  any  conduct  on  their  part  calculated  to  weaken, 
or  oppose,  or  bring  disrepute  upon  the  Government  of  India,  is 
suicidal  to  their  own  prosperity.  The  old  East  India  Company 
is  blamed,  because  it  would  not  allow  Missionaries  in  India  in 
the  beginning  of  this  Century.  It  is  clear,  that  it  would  not  have 
built  up  the  Empire,  had  indiscreet  Missionaries  been  at  large 
before  the  Provinces  were  well  in  hand  ;  and  when  the  power  of 
Great  Britain  in  India  becomes  weakened,  the  greatest  sufferers 
will  be  the  Missionaries,  and  the  Christian  congregations.  The 
Roman  Catholic  Missionaries  have  never  given  trouble  in  India : 
they  have  been  chiefly  Italians  or  Portuguese.  The  Protestant 
IMissionaries  have  been  exclusively  German,  American,  or 
British. 


(    41     ) 

But  in  South  Africa  a  French  Protestant  Mission  is  settled  in 
Ba-Suto  Land.  I  understood  from  the  late  Sir  Bartle  Frere,  that 
much  of  the  trouble  in  one  of  the  wars  in  the  Cape  Colony  arose 
from  the  conduct  of  the  French  Missionaries.  At  the  Congress 
of  Missionaries  at  Mildmay  in  1878  (Report,  p.  86),  1  read  : 

Hence,  when  you  Englishmen  in  1852  came  to  fight  against  the  Ba-Siito, 
we  fought  agaiust  you. 

At  the  Congress  of  Missionaries  in  Exeter  Hall  in  1888,  the 
Directors  of  this  French  Mission  justified  what  they  called  "Mis- 
sionary Patriotism  ";  they  took  a  pride  in  following  a  policy  of 
direct  hostility  to  the  British  Government,  and  it  was  difficult  to  see 
how  this  was  consistent  with  the  position  of  a  foreign  Missionary 
in  British  territory.  The  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  in 
Christian  love,  supplied  them  with  a  translation  of  the  whole 
Bible  in  the  language  of  the  tribe:  the  President  of  the  French 
Republic  bestowed  upon  the  Chief  Director  the  Legion  of  Honour 
for  "  advancing  French  interests"  (Heaven  help  the  mark! )  in 
British  Colonies.  The  British  take  these  matters  coolly,  as 
cosmopolites,  but  the  Germans  very  naturally  rigidly  exclude 
French  Missionaries  from  their  Colonies. 

How  do  the  French  act  in  their  own  Colonies  }  The  French 
IMissionary,  whether  Protestant,  or  Roman  Catholic,  wherever 
he  goes,  puts  his  Nationality  offensively  forward  :  the  Governor 
of  the  French  Colony  makes  the  Colony  too  hot  for  Missionaries 
of  another  Nation.  In  Algeria  and  Tunisia,  the  British  Mission- 
aries have  a  precarious  existence  :  the  Bible  Society,  however,  is 
tolerated.  In  Senegambia  there  are  none  but  French.  From 
the  Gabim  Colony,  South  of  the  Equator,  the  American  Mission, 
which  has  done  so  much  good,  is  being  gradually  pushed  out. 
In  Melanesia  the  British  Missionaries  are  being  expelled  from 
the  Loyalty  Islands,  and  are  threatened  in  the  New  Hebrides : 
one  of  the  chief  objections  to  the  French  occupation  is,  that  the 
free  action  of  the  Missionaries  will  be  jeopardized.  In  the 
Society's  Islands  and  Harvey's  Islands,  the  French  occupation 
has  driven  out,  or  is  driving  out,  the  British  Mission,  which  has 
raised  the  inhabitants  from  the  position  of  savages,  in  which 
Captain  Cook  found  them. 

Germany  has  only  lately  founded  Colonies,  or  Subject  States, 
and  sets  about  Missions  in  a  way  peculiar  to  herself.  One  of 
the  most  experienced  German  writers  on  Missionary  topics  thus 
expresses  himself: 

The  opinion  of  the  German  African  Society  with  regard  to  Missionary 
Societies  is,  that  they  are  not  unselfish  attempts  to  spread  the  Gospel,  but 
merely  handmaids  to  Colonial  Politics,  a  Cow  to  give  milk  to  the  Mother 
Country. 

The  general  conception  seems  to  be  as  follows : 
I.  Only  German  Missions  in  German  Colonies. 


(     42     ) 

II.  The  Missionary  is  to  be  the  Pastor  of  the  German  colonist, 
as  well  as  Evangelist  of  the  Heathen. 

III.  He  is  to  work  solely  for  German  interests,  and  to  make 
his  converts  good  German  Subjects. 

IV.  He  is  to  teach  the  Natives  to  work,,  by  giving  them  an 
industrial  Education,  as  well  as  spiritual:  the  motto  is,  "work 
and  pray,  and  pray  and  work  : "  but  the  prayers  must  be  in 
German,  and  the  work  for  Germans. 

V.  No  other  language  to  be  taught  but  German.  In  the 
Kameruns  the  English  language  is  to  be  trodden  down,  and 
German  State-Instructors  are  sent  to  teach  German. 

The  first  action  of  the  Germans  at  Ebon  in  the  Marshall 
Islands  in  Mikronesia  was  to  fine  the  Native  Pastor  of  the 
American  Mission  2500  francs  for  wishing  to  protect  the  natives 
against  the  deceit  of  foreign  INIerchants.  In  the  Kameruns, 
where  the  British  Baptists  were  got  rid  of,  the  German  Govern- 
ment desired  the  Basle  Missionary  Society  to  accept  the  task, 
because  it  was  composed  of  German  elements,  and  consequently 
sympathetic  to  the  interests,  political  and  economical,  of 
Germany.  To  this  the  Society  bravely  replied,  that  it  had  always 
maintained  a  position  above  all  political  considerations,  and 
would  never  depart  from  it,  all  that  was  asked  being  liberty  of 
action.     I  honour  them  for  saying  so. 

For  the  present  in  Eastern  Equatorial  Africa  there  are  two 
Protestant  British  Missions  within  the  sphere  of  German  in- 
fluence ;  but  to  mark  the  cynical  view  of  the  German  Government 
towards  all  Missions,  a  German  Roman  Catholic  Mission  has 
been  specially  invited  as  a  kind  of  equipoise  to  the  existing 
French  Roman  Catholic  Mission,  and  a  German  Protestant 
Mission,  as  supplementary  to  the  two  British  Missions. 

It  appears,  that  the  Governmentof  the  Netherlands,  a  Protestant 
country,  to  a  certain  extent  connects  the  State  with  INIissionary 
effort  in  her  Asiatic  Colonies,  and  looks  upon  them  as  Political 
Engines.  Spain  has  hitherto  prevented  any  Protestant  influence 
from  penetrating  into  the  Philippine  Islands,  and  has  caused 
some  trouble  to  the  American  Missionaries  in  the  Caroline 
Islands  in  jNIikronesia,  which  were  so  easily  composed,  and  seem 
to  be  forgotten,  that  it  would  appear  that  it  was  magnified.  At 
any  rate,  one  fact  is  recorded,  that  the  American  Board  did 
complain  to  their  own  Government  of  the  deportation  of  their 
Missionary  from  the  Island,  that  the  United  States  Government 
did  send  a  man-of-war  to  the  Island,  and  that  it  was  considered 
a  great  point  gained  that  "American  jNIissionaries  were  cared 
for  by  their  National  Authorities,"  and  that  the  Captain  of  the 
man-of-war  in  a  letter  advised  "  all  Americans,  ivhethcr  Christians 
"  ornot,  to  get  down  on  their  knees,  and  return  thanks  for  having 
"  been  born  in  free  America."    When  it  is  recollected,  that  these 


(    43     ) 

Missionaries  v\'ere  in  the  ancient  Colonies  of  Spain,  that  the 
right  is  admitted  of  every  Sovereign  State  to  deport  aliens  at 
their  will  and  pleasure,  and  that  a  man-of-war  of  an  alien  State 
was  sent  to  encourage  alien  Missionaries  apparently  against  the 
constituted  authority,  it  may  be  a  source  of  wonder,  how  the 
Gospel  of  Peace  can  be  preached  under  such  circumstances, 
and  no  wonder  will  be  felt,  if  the  admission  of  alien  Missionaries 
is  for  the  future  steadily  opposed  by  second-rate  Powers,  like 
Spain  and  Portugal.  In  British  India  the  American  Missionary 
is  heartily  welcomed  according  to  the  policy  of  the  British 
Government,  and  in  recognition  of  the  well-known  personal 
qualities  of  the  American  Missionary ;  yet  if  the  Missionary 
disobeyed  the  legal  orders  of  the  constituted  authorities,  I  doubt, 
whether  the  appearance  of  the  United  States  ship  "Essex"  on 
the  Hooghly  would  have  saved  him  from  punishment.  I  deeply 
regret  the  interference  of  ships  of  war,  or  gunboats,  or  the  civil 
power,  in  the  affairs  of  Missions,  and  shall  never  cease  denounc- 
ing it,  whether  those  ships  are  British,  or  American,  or  French, 
or  German,  or  Spanish,  or  Portuguese.     "  Non  tali  auxilio." 

The  Colonies  of  that  miserable  State,  Portugal,  remain  to 
be  noticed.  On  the  West  Coast  of  South  Africa  the  autho- 
rities of  the  Colony  of  Angola  appear  to  have  adopted  a 
friendly  attitude  to  the  American  Pklissionaries,  who  pene- 
trate through  the  Colony  to  Bailundu.  No  doubt  Portugal 
has  visions  of  spreading  across  the  Continent  to  Mozambik, 
and, there  may  be  troubles  in  future.  On  the  East  Coast  the 
attitude  of  Portugal  is  hostile  to  the  Protestant  Missionaries 
on  Lake  Nyassa :  indefinite  claims  of  Sovereignty  are  made, 
and  the  desire  is  expressed  to  extend  the  frontier  of  the 
Colony  of  Mozambik  so  as  to  include  that  Lake.  That  may 
or  may  not  be,  and  the  ]\Iissionaries  must  take  their  chance, 
and  the  British  Government  neither  can,  nor  will,  give  them 
any  help.  It  would  be  contrary  to  sound  policy,  if  any  Govern- 
ment were  to  entangle  Great  Britain  in  an  Annexation,  Protec- 
torate, Sphere  of  Influence,  or  Chartered  Company,  which  had 
no  basis  on  the  sea  :  we  have  suffered  enough  from  the  Egyptian 
Sudan,  and  Be-Chuana-land,  to  play  that  game  again.  Like  the 
other  British  Missionary  Societies,  which  have  established  them- 
selves on  the  Central  Equatorial  Lakes,  they  must  rest  upon  the 
Divine  aid  only,  and  their  agents  must  be  prepared  to  die  at  their 
posts.  But  the  Missionary  interest  is  not  the  only  one  in  the 
Basin  of  the  River  Zambesi,  and  its  confluents.  Great  Britain 
is  a  Protector  of  the  vast  territories  of  INIa-Tabele-land  South 
of  that  River,  and  can  never  allow  a  petty  State  like  Portugal  to 
put  a  cork  into  the  mouth  of  one  of  the  great  Arteries  of  Africa, 
and,  as  the  Foreign  Secretary  lately  informed  a  Deputation,  a  Ship 
of  War,  in  the  interests  of  Freedom  of  Commerce  and  Naviga- 


C    44    ) 

tion,  will  soon  open  the  Mouths  of  the  Zambesi  to  ships  of  all 
Nationalities,  and  brush  Portugal  like  a  fly  off  the  ]\Iap  of  that 
Region. 

I  pass  now  to  the  second  variety  of  circumstances,  where 
there  is  a  Government  established  upon  .a  basis  of  Asiatic 
Civilization,  nominally  independent,  but  circumscribed  in  its 
action  by  Treaties,  and  the  hard  logic  of  ships  and  gunboats. 
China  and  Turkey  supply  conspicuous  instances,  and  both 
countries  are  magnificent  fields  for  Missions. 

I  have  before  me  a  little  volume,  published  at  Rome,  called 
Violatio7i  du  Traite.  de  Peking,  which  sets  out  the  Roman  Catholic 
grievances,  of  which  France  is  the  champion.  Another  small 
volume,  Aperqic  historique  sur  la  Chine,  also  published  by  the 
Propaganda,  sets  forth  the  long  history  of  Missions  to  China, 
the  martyrdoms  by  beheading  and  strangling,  the  imprison- 
ments, and  the  spoiling  of  goods,  which  have  rendered  the 
Roman  Catholic  Mission  work  of  that  Land  illustrious.  Its 
staff"  a  few  years  ago  consisted  of  twenty-one  Bishops,  two 
hundred  and  seventy-eight  European  Missionaries,  two  hundred 
and  thirty-three  Native  Priests,  scattered  in  every  part  of  the 
Chinese  dominions,  amidst  half  a  million  of  converts.  The 
Protestant  Missionaries  number  six  hundred,  but  do  not  form 
one  compact  body,  and  upon  the  subject  now  under  discussion 
there  exist  two  distinct  parties. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Mission,  with  a  strange  inconsistency, 
is  the  loudest  in  its  appeals  to  the  eternal  principle  of  Religious 
Liberty,  guaranteed  by  Treaties,  and  invoked  by  Consuls. 
Allusion  is  made  with  complacency,  on  the  one  hand,  to  a 
Pagoda  being  converted  into  a  Church,  whilst  no  w:ords  are 
sufficient  to  denounce,  upon  the  other,  the  injustice  of  the" 
secularization  of  a  Church.  Emperors  are  described  as  having 
been  killed  by  lightning,  and  cities  destroyed  by  earthquakes, 
to  evince  the  anger  of  an  outraged  God.  It  seems  strange,  that 
Priests,  with  such  a  formidable  arsenal  in  reserve,  should  regard 
as  of  such  paramount  importance,  the  insignificant  Treaties  of 
Pekin  and  the  French  Consulate. 

The  French  Government  has  ever  put  itself  forward  as  the 
Protector  of  Religion  in  China,  and  the  French  have  openly 
asserted  in  their  own  praise,  that  while  other  Nations,  especially 
the  British,  warred  with  China  in  the  interests  of  Commerce, 
they  warred  in  the  interests  of  Religion.  Lamentable  indeed 
as  have  been  the  British  wars,  still  it  would  seem  almost  better 
to  force  Commerce  into  a  country  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet 
than  to  force  Missionaries  into  it  after  the  same  fashion.  In 
the  one  case  we  have  at  least  but  a  simple  evil,  in  the  other  a 
compound  one,  and  what  might  have  been  a  blessing  becomes 
a  curse.    We  may  rely  upon  it,  that  under  all  circumstances  gun- 


(    45     ) 

boat-Commerce  is  a  less  evil  than  gunboat-Christianity.  It  is 
well  known,  that  it  is  only  in  the  French  copy  of  the  Treaty  that 
exists  the  well-known  Religious  clause,  which  could  only  be 
extended  to  British  subjects  by  the  application  of  the  "most- 
favoured  Nation"  clause.  Successive  British  Ministries  have 
refused  to  adopt  the  French  clause  as  the  measure  of  our  Treaty 
Rights  in  the  matter  of  Missionary  work.  One  of  the  chief 
occupations  of  the  French  Legation  consists  in  pressing  claims 
for  redress,  and  making  reclamations'  on  behalf  of  Missionaries. 
It  is  always  in  hot  water,  and  with  any  but  satisactory  results  ; 
and  it  is  this  constant  source  of  trouble  and  anxiety,  and  the 
difficulty  of  giving  effective  protection  in  the  interior,  that  has 
caused  the  indisposition  of  the  British  Government  to  press  for 
similar  rights. 

It  is  notorious,  that  the  Chinese  Government,  anxious  to  get 
rid  of  the  semi-religious,  semi-political  claims  of  France,  offered 
to  accept  the  Pope  as  the  representative  of  all  the  Missions  of 
the  Roman  Church,  and  the  Pope  was  quite  ready  to  accept  the 
duty :  but  France  would  not  agree  to  it,  and  by  threats  of 
the  repeal  of  the  Concordat  in  France,  compelled  the  Pope  to 
withdraw  from  this  arrangement :  the  Chinese  Government  in 
consequence  issued  a  Proclamation  of  Universal  Toleration 
of  the  Christian  Religion,  thus  reducing  the  possibility  of  French 
interference  to  a  minimum. 

The  French  Government  urges  the  cases  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Missions  only.  I  have  yet  to  learn,  whether  Republican 
France  would  extend  its  protection  to  French  Protestant  Missions 
also.  Under  the  aegis  of  Great  Britain  are  many  different 
Churches  and  Missions,  and  no  one  Missionary  body  has  a 
right  to  go  up  to  the  Foreign  Office,  as  the  general  represen- 
tative of  Protestant  Missions  in  China.  It  is  as  well  to  hear 
the  views  of  one  Missionary  Society  on  the  question : 

Relations  to  Governments. — Too  great  caution  cannot  be  exercised  by 
all  Missionaries  residing  or  journeying  inland  to  avoid  difficulties  and  complica- 
tions with  the  people,  and  especially  with  the  authorities.  All  the  agents  of 
the  Mission  must  fully  understand  that  they  go  out  depending  for  help  and 
protection  on  the  living  God,  and  not  relying  on  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh. 
While  availing  themselves  of  any  privileges  offered  by  the  British  or  Chinese 
Governments,  they  must  make  no  claim  for  their  help  or  protection.  Appeals 
to  Consuls  to  procure  the  punishment  of  offenders,  or  to  demand  the  vindica- 
tion of  real  or  supposed  rights,  or  indemnification  for  losses,  are  to  be  avoided. 
Should  trouble  or  persecution  arise  inland,  a  friendly  representation  may  be 
made  to  the  local  Chinese  officials,  failing  redress  from  whom,  those  suffering 
must  be  satisfied  to  leave  their  case  in  God's  hands.  Under  no  circumstances 
must  any  Missionary  on  his  oivn  responsibility  make  any  appeal  to  the  British 
authorities.  As  a  last  resource,  the  injunction  of  the  Master  can  be  followed, 
"  If  they  persecute  you  in  this  city,  flee  ye  into  another." 

Those  engaged  in  the  Lord's  work  must  be  prepared  to  "  take  joyfully  the 
spoiling  of  their  goods,"  and  to    "rejoice  they  are  counted  worthy  to  suffer 


(    46    ) 

shame  for  His  name."  Let  them  be  imbued  with  the  same  spirit  as  Ezra 
(Ez.  viii.  21 — 23). 

In  preaching  and  selling  books,  the  collection  of  large  crowds  in  busy 
thoroughfares  should  as  far  as  possible  be  avoided  ;  and  where  it  can  be  done, 
any  difticulty  should  be  arranged,  without  reference  to  the  local  authorities. 
The  carrying  about  and  display  of  unnecessary  property, is  also  to  be  deprecated  ; 
it  may  lead  to  robbery  and  loss,  in  which  case  no  demand  for  restitution  should 
be  made.  As  little  intercourse  with  local  authorities  as  possible  should  be 
attempted  ;  and  if  their  help  on  any  occasion  become  necessary,  it  should  be 
asked  as  a  favour,  and  never  demanded  as  a  right.  On  no  account  should 
threatening  language  be  used,  or  the  threat  of  appealing  to  the  Consul  be  made. 
Great  respect  must  be  shown  towards  all  in  authority,  and  must  also  be  mani- 
fested in  speaking  of  them,  as  is  required  by  the  Word  of  God. 

Where  prolonged  stay  in  a  city  is  likely  to  cause  trouble,  it  is  better  to  journey 
onward  ;  and  where  residence  cannot  be  peaceably  and  safely  effected,  to  retire 
and  give  up,  or  defer  the  attempt.  God  will  open  more  doors  than  we  can 
enter  and  occupy.  And  in  conclusion,  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  must  be 
practically  recognized  as  spiritual  and  not  carnal. 

How  noble,  how  true  to  Bible  teaching,  how  expedient  even 
from  a  worldly  point  of  view,  are  such  sentiments  !  Nor  is  it  an 
empty  boast.  In  1879  Lord  Shaftesbury  quoted  with  satisfaction 
the  statement,  that  no  Missionary  of  this  Society  made  any 
assumption  of  national  superiority,  or  any  undue  insistence  on 
Treaty  Rights,  and  he  remarked  on  the  contrast,  which  this 
offered  to  the  old  scandal,  that  ^' ivith  the  Missionary  there  was 
always  the  inevitable  giaiboat.'"  A  Missionary,  who  had  traversed 
China,  on  foot  and  unarmed,  remarked,  that  all  application  to 
the  British  Foreign  Office,  or  pressure  upon  the  British  Consul, 
with  a  view  of  intimidating  the  Chinese  authorities,  would  be  a 
mistake,  would  do  no  good,  and  probably  do  great  harm.  It 
may  be  accepted  as  a  fact,  that  the  Chinese  authorities  are  quite 
impervious  to  any  argument,  unless  they  anticipate  the.  will  and 
the  means  of  the  Consul  to  enforce  redress,  and  this  means  to" 
move  up  gunboats.  It  is  of  no  use  for  Missionaries  to  protest, 
that  they  do  not  wish  to  lean  on  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh,  or  seek 
the  aid  of  Gunboats  ;  they  must  understand  that  there  is  no 
medium.  If  they  could  persuade  the  Foreign  Office  to  set  the 
ball  rolling  (which  they  will  never  succeed  in  doing),  it  must 
mean  the  application  of  threats,  and  possibly  bloodshed.  Any 
amount  of  suffering,  or  loss  of  property,  were  preferable  to  this 
sad  alternative. 

The  sentiments  expressed  by  this  Society  are  shared  by  other 
Missionary  Societies  in  China.  During  the  whole  course  of  the 
history  of  some  Missions,  the  IMissionaries  have  never  requested 
the  aid  of  their  Government ;  their  only  weapon  has  been  kind- 
ness, and  a  spirit  of  conciliation.  And  this  line  of  conduct  is 
more  especially  necessary  in  China,  where  other  questions  have 
been  so  inextricably  mixed  up  with  the  policy  of  the  British 
Government.  The  Missionary  might  suffer  temporary  injury  and 
discouragement,  but  in  the  long  run  he  would  be  the  stronger  by 


(    47     ) 

letting  the  people  and  authorities  feel,  that  as  Missionaries  they 
were  not  connected  with  the  compulsory  measures  and  the  over- 
bearing provisions  of  Treaties,  whose  stipluations  rankle  in  the 
breast  of  every  subject  of  that  ancient  kingdom. 

The  subject  is  of  such  importance,  and  I  do  so  desire,  that 
young  Missionaries  should  understand  the  problem,  that  I  quote 
extracts  from  the  Secretaries  of  some  of  the  leading  Missionary 
Societies : 

I  discourage  our  Missionaries  from  holding  property  in  China  outside  the 
Treaty  Ports,  and  then  only  the  houses  they  occupy.  When  Natives  were 
wilhng  to.  make  over  places,  and  even  family  temples,  to  the  Mission,  I  always 
urged  them  to  leave  such  properties  in  Native  hands.  In  all  our  Missions  we 
try  to  avoid  all  reference  to  the  British  authorities  :  they  hamper  more  than 
they  aid. 

There  are  peculiar  difificulties  in  one  Province,  owing  to  the  policy  and  conduct 
of  the  Romanists :  their  constant  reliance  on  the  Civil  Power,  and  frequent 
unhappy  use  of  it,  have  the  tendency  to  embitter  the  heathen  population,  and 
also  to  encourage  injustice  and  a  singular  kind  of  arrogant  terforism  among  those 
who  become  Christians. 

I  am  persuaded  that  official  remonstrances  do  not  help  in  the  long  run, 
Patience  is  our  strength,  when  we  are  in  the  right. 

During  the  whole  course  of  the  Mission's  Histoiy  our  agents  have  made  their 
way,  and  found  safety  and  acceptance  among  savage  tribes,  quite  independently 
of  any  aid  from  gunboats,  or  otherwise  from  Government.  The  power,  which 
they  exercise,  is  that  of  kindness,  and  an  evident  desire  to  deal  justly,  and  to 
benefit  them.  Their  response  has  almost  always  been  one  of  confidence  and 
friendly  bearing,  the  healthful  product  of  kindness,  and  not  of  fear  of  a  gun- 
boat in  the  background.  Treaty  rights  invoke  Treaty  wrongs,  to  the  injury 
of  the  people,  and  the  hindrance  in  the  most  fatal  manner  of  Missionary  effort. 

More  especially  at  this  conjuncture  it  behoves  the  Missionaries 
in  China  to  act  with  great  restraint.  In  the  Edict  of  Toleration 
lately  issued  they  have  scored  a  point,  and,  inasmuch  as  this 
Edict  has  been  issued  voluntarily,  it  is  not  likely  to  be  recalled, 
but  the  reasonable  demands  made  by  the  Chinese  Authorities 
some  years  back,  and  not  conceded,  should  be  remembered,  and 
acted  up  to,  especially  as  the  Missionaries  in  British  India  have 
no  choice  but  to  conform  to  similar  demands. 

I.  Missionaries  should  confiiie  themselves  to  their  proper 
calling,  and  not  set  up  an  independent  style  and  authority. 

II.  They  should  not  interfere  in  the  Criminal  trials  of  Native 
Christians. 

III.  That  bad  characters,  and  notorious  ill-livers,  should  not 
be  retained  in  their  communities. 

IV.  That  they  should  not  use  official  seals,  nor  write  official 
despatches  to  the  local  Courts,  as  if  they  were  Officials. 

Possibly  it  is  only  the  French  Roman  Catholic  Priests  in  China, 
who  take  the  liberties  complained  of:  at  any  rate,  they  do 
nothing  of  the  kind  in  British  India,  and  it  would  be  impossible 
in  an  Oriental  country  to  allow  private  individuals  to  act  in  such 
a  way. 


(     48     ) 

It  is  a  common  expression  at  INIissionary  meetings,  and  a 
positive  fact  in  some  Committee-Rooms,  that  God's  guidance 
is  prayed  for  and  sought  for.  God's  mercies  are  recognized 
in  success,  and  traces  of  His  controlling  wisdom  should  be 
recognized  in  disappointment  and  failure.  God  speaks  no 
longer  in  dreams  and  visions,  or  by  the  voice  of  Heavenly 
messengers,  but  His  guidance  can  be  seen  by  those,  who 
seek  Him  faithfully,  in  the  Persecution  and  the  Destruction  of 
Churches,  in  Imprisonment  and  Martyrdom.  By  these  is  the 
sincerity  of  the  converts  tested,  and  the  faith  of  the  survivors 
strengthened.  Both  China  and  Madagascar  have  passed  through 
this  ordeal.  If  we  use  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh  to  combat  those 
leadings,  we  may  haply  be  found  fighting  against  God.  Strange 
to  say,  the  same  reports,  which  tell  so  sadly  of  the  suffering  of 
the  Missionaries,  tell  also  of  the  steadfastness  of  the  Native 
Church,  and  of  additions  to  its  members.  We  are  apt  to  set  too 
great  a  value  on  the  bricks  and  mortar  of  our  buildings.  What 
matters  it  whether  they  are  consumed  by  a  fire,  as  at  Hakodati, 
or  by  incendiaries,  as  at  Fu-chow  ?  We  must  recognize  the 
chastening  hand  of  the  Lord  in  both  events,  and  be  thankful. 

In  one  district  there  had  been  persecuh'on ;  several  converts 
were  beaten,  and  one  or  two  killed,  others  imprisoned  and  tortured; 
these  last  were  released  at  the  earnest  request  of  the  Consul, 
who,  however,  had  no  lawful  grounds  of  interference.  These 
troubles  may  prove  beneficial  in  keeping  the  Churches  clear  of 
■insincere  Members,  and  by  giving  the  Converts  clearly  to  see  that 
foreigners  cannot  protect  tJie?n,  either  from  their  own  people,  or 
officials,  and  may  teach  them  to  look  more  directly  to  God,  and  to 
trust  in  Him  alone.  It  is  profitable  to  read  the  accounts  of  the 
sufferings  and  the  steadfastness  of  the  early  Christian  INIartyrs  in 
the  first  and  second  centuries,  and  the  persecution  by  the  Church 
of  Rome  in  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth.  The  blood  of  the 
Martyrs  is  still  the  seed  of  the  Church.  The  British  Missionary 
should  read  the  stories  of  Columba  of  lona,  of  Aidin  of  Lindis- 
farne,  of  Boniface  of  Exeter,  and  try  to  bear  hardships,  like  good 
soldiers,  and  not  to  call  for  gunboats,  and  Platform-Resolutions. 

And  when  we  plant  the  Church  in  China,  we  must  seek  to 
plant  it  as  a  Chinese  Church,  and  not  as  a  Semi-Anglican  one. 
Such  a  Native  Church  can  only  be  solidly  based  on  National 
self-respect,  affected,  it  may  be,  by  National  weaknesses,  and 
perhaps  by  National  independent  treatment  of  Christian  truths. 
It  will  then  last  long  after  the  Gunboats  of  Great  Britain  have 
fallen  into  decay,  and  her  Commerce  has  shifted  to  younger 
Nations.  The  Governing  Classes  reflect  the  general  feelings  of 
the  People  :  the  Literati  and  Gentry,  who  arc  credited  with  all 
the  opposition,  are  recruited  from  the  ranks  of  the  people,  and 
fairly  represent  the  Clergy  and  Landowners  in  Great  Britain,  who 


(    49     ) 

are,  as  a  rule,  extremely  Conservative.  The  objection  of  the 
Chinese  to  Fung-chui  or  "  Luck"  is  not  fictitious,  and,  as  regards 
lands  and  houses,  these  sentiments,  however  ridiculous  they  may 
seem,  indicate  the  actual  feelings  of  the  people,  and  no  doubt  of 
the  Native  Christians  also.  Missionaries  must  deal  gently  with 
the  prejudices,  which  they  encounter.  To  occupy  a  sacred  site, 
and  build  upon  it  a  Missionary  Residence,  or  School,  under  any 
view  of  the  case,  is  an  act  of  extreme  indiscretion,  to  which  no 
lapse  of  years  can  give  a  sanction.  To  convert  a  Pagoda  into  a 
Christian  place  of  worship  is  one  of  those  acts,  which  may  be 
resented  for  centuries.  We  have  instances  of  the  evil  conse- 
quences of  such  a  policy  written  in  blood  in  every  country.  If 
Mahometan,  or  Brahmoist,  or  Buddhist,  Missionaries,  were  to 
appear  in  London,  and  erect  a  place  of  worship  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Abbey,  or  appropriate  a  Proprietary  Chapel  of  any  deno- 
mination to  their  purposes,  would  a  London  Mob  tolerate  it, 
however  much  Religious  Toleration  be  the  la\v  of  the  land  ? 

The  conclusion  to  be  arrived  at  seems  to  me  this :  that  a  Mis- 
sionary should  try  to  win  his  way  to  the  hearts  of  the  people,  and 
should  under  no  circumstances  invoke  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh  for 
the  protection  of  property,  or  accept  compensation  for  property 
lost.  He  will  find  it  more  profitable  in  the  long  run  to  exhibit 
the  patience,  and  charity,  and  unselfishness,  which  will  disarm 
his  antagonists.  If  his  life  be  endangered,  he  must  save  it  by 
timely  flight;  if  imprisoned,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  collec- 
tive intercession  will  be  made  for  him  in  such  a  manner,  as 
to  secure  his  liberation ;  if  he  fall,  he  falls  a  blessed  Martyr. 
Such  deaths  are  great  victories :  they  convince  the  doubting  : 
they  stimulate  the  faint-hearted :  they  astonish  the  worldling. 
Peradventure  for  a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to  die,  but 
Christ  died  for  sinners,  and  Christians  are  ready  to  die  for 
Christ.  How  our  hearts  beat  high  to  think  that  we  have  known, 
and  loved,  and  conversed  with,  and  have  letters  from,  men, 
destined  by  God's  Grace  to  die  for  Him  ;  he  does  no  more  than 
numerous  examples  have  gloriously  sanctioned,  than  the  Gospel 
predicts,  and  than  hundreds  of  his  countrymen  have  been 
willing  to  do  in  every  part  of  the  World,  even  when  the  prize 
to  be  gained  was  but  an  earthly  one.  Persecutions  were  not 
unknown  in  the  early  days  of  Christianity,  and  yet  it  triumphed 
in  the  end.  It  is  idle  to  expect  the  Crown  without  the  Cross. 
There  are  many  sufferings  still  unsufFered,  many  Crosses  not  yet 
taken  up,  many  Crowns  still  to  be  won. 

I  have  twice  visited  the  Empire  of  Turkey  with  a  view  of 
contrasting  their  system  of  governing  conquered  Provinces  with 
the  British  system  in  India.  I  was  sitting  in  the  Divan  with  the 
Pasha  of  Damascus,  when  a  European  Consul  was  introduced, 
who  hectored  and  bullied  the  Pasha  while  actually  on  the  seat  of 


(    50    ) 

Judgment.  I  had  myself  governed  large  Asiatic  districts,  and 
recognized  the  salient  features  of  the  complaint  as  of  not  uncom- 
mon character.  The  Turk  smoked,  and  bore  the  abuse  stolidly, 
at  least  to  outer  appearance.  I  felt  for  him,  and  felt  also,  that,  if 
any  representative  of  any  Power  in  the  world  had  behaved  in  such 
a  manner  in  my  Office,  I  should  have  had  him  turned  out  forth- 
with, and,  if  he  repeated  such  conduct,  should  have  fined  him 
for  contempt  of  Court,  and  looked  to  my  own  Government  to 
support  me.  The  British  Magistrate  and  Consul  know,  that  the 
best  Missionaries  give  them  the  least  trouble,  if  indeed  they  give 
any  at  all.  The  argument,  that  the  Consuls  of  other  Nations 
have  succeeded  in  compelling  an  unwilling  Government  to  make 
concessions  is  an  unworthy  one,  and  not  always  true.  In  a 
discussion  in  a  British  Committee  Room  in  my  presence  about 
troubles  in  China,  a  Secretary  to  an  American  Board  of  Missions, 
who  happened  to  be  present,  was  asked,  how  it  happened,  that 
their  Missionaries  were  always  backed  by  their  Consul.  The 
reply  was  an  expression  of  surprise  on  the  part  of  the  American 
Secretary,  and  the  dry  remark,  that  his  Missionaries  complained, 
that  the  British  Missionaries  were  always  backed  by  the  British 
Consul,  while  the  American  Consul  refused  to  interfere. 

I  have  no  love  for  the  irrepressible  Turk,  and  I  have  traversed 
great  parts  of  Turkey,  and  studied  its  system,  which  is  bad, 
thoroughly  bad  ;  yet  I  cannot  excuse  Missionaries  of  gross  viola- 
tion of  the  first  principles  of  duty  of  an  alien  permitted  to  reside 
in  a  foreign  country.  Neither  Russia,  Austria,  nor  France,  nor 
British  India,  would  have  tolerated  such  conduct  for  an  instant. 
It  is  an  understood  principle  of  International  Law,  asserted  and 
practised  by  every  Continental  Power,  that  they  have  a  right  to 
eject  any  foreigner  from  their  country,  for  reasons  best  known 
to  themselves.  Turkey  has  the  same  de  Jure,  and  some  day  will 
be  irritated  to  the  necessity  of  using  it. 

I  visited  a  celebrated  city  in  Turkey,  and  found  that  the 
Medical  Missionary  was  in  great  distress,  because  the  Governor 
had  stopped  the  erection  of  his  new  Hospital.  I  visited  it :  it 
was  on  a  lofty  hill  commanding  the  town,  and  had  the  appear- 
ance and  reality  of  a  fort,  with  walls  pierced  for  musquetry,  and 
embrasures  for  guns.  Any  hospital  built  on  such  a  site,  and  in 
such  a  style,  in  British  India,  at  Banaras,  or  Amritsar,  would  have 
been  dismantled  at  once.  In  the  case  of  trouble  it  would  have 
been  at  once  occupied  by  rebels,  and  nothing  but  a  siege  would 
take  it.     And  yet  the  Doctor  abused  the  Turk ! 

A  Missionary  Society  bought,  and  got  possession  of  a  house 
with  a  title  open  to  objections,  possibly  false,  and  was  sued  for 
ejectment,  and  cast :  the  decision  was  confirmed  on  appeal. 
Letters  were  written  to  London,  and  a  certain  benevolent 
Nobleman  was  induced  to  write  letters  to  the  Ambassador  at 


(    51     ) 

Constantinople  :  he  brought  a  pressure  on  the  Sublime  Porte  : 
orders  were  issued  by  the  Executive  to  the  Provincial  Court  to 
cancel  the  order.  I  have  been  many  years  a  Judge  in  an 
Oriental  Country,  and  felt  ashamed  of  my  countrymen.  The 
humblest  Native  Judge  in  British  India  would  decline  to  alter 
his  decree  to  please  the  Executive  authorities. 

I  have  already  in  Part  II.  called  attention  to  the  question  of 
Schools  in  Turkey.  Clearly  a  Sovereign-State  has  the  control 
of  its  own  Educational  Department.  Austria,  Russia,  France, 
Germany,  and  Italy  claim  for  the  State  the  Monopoly  of  Public 
Instruction.  If  Missionaries  act  with  conciliation  to  the  local 
authorities,  they  can  keep  open  their  Schools,  but  it  is  of  no  use 
blustering,  and  claiming  under  a  Treaty  a  right  to  open  Schools 
avowedly  to  convert  the  Mahometans.  I  am  not  quite  sure,  that 
even  in  Free  England  large  Mahometan  Schools  would  survive  the 
popular  indignation,  if  opened  avowedly  to  convert  Christians. 

Then  again  as  regards  the  Criminal  Law  and  the  Police,  the 
Missionaries  are  not  the  Judges,  whether  the  local  Governor  is 
just  or  unjust,  and  it  is  a  monstrous  abuse  of  the  hospitality  of 
a  friendly  State  for  a  resident  alien  to  give  shelter  to  a  man, 
for  whose  arrest  a  warrant  had  been  issued,  to  conceal  him  in 
the  Mission-premises,  and  smuggle  him  out  of  the  Jurisdiction. 
Yet  such  a  case  is  reported  with  complacency  by  a  Missionary, 
who  thinks  that  he  has  done  a  praiseworthy  act.  In  British 
India  any  Missionary,  who  acted  thus,  would  have  found  himself 
next  day  in  prison  without  benefit  of  clergy. 

My  opinion  is,  that  the  Missionary  should  mind  his  own  busi- 
ness, and  following  the  example  of  St.  Paul,  keep  on  good  terms 
with  the  Powers  that  rule,  whether  in  British  India,  China,  Japan, 
or  Turkey :  he  should  abstain  from  writing  complaints  home, 
but  get  access  to  the  local  authorities,  and  get  them  over  to  his 
side  by  the  pleasantness  of  his  bearing,  and  conversation. 
Missionaries  very  rarely  quarrel  with  the  authorities  in  British 
India,  as  they  are  highly  valued,  and  as  a  rule  are  reasonable 
men.  The  oldest  Missionaries  never  think  of  complaining  :  they 
put  up  with  little  inconveniences,  and  get  their  way  in  the  long 
run,  when  their  wishes  are  reasonable.  The  difference  is  well 
known  between  the  real  Gospel-preacher,  the  simple-hearted 
]\Iissionary,  and  the  grievance-monger,  the  spy,  who  introduces 
himself  into  the  Military  Cantonments,  to  watch  the  sad  weaknesses 
of  the  brave,  but  thoughtless,  British  Soldier,  the  frothy  declaimer 
against  the  Liquor  Shop,  and  the  man,  who  is  always  at  war  with 
the  Education  Department.  The  former  are  loved,  honoured, 
and  always  welcome.  My  first  idea  of  a  Missionary  was  in  1844, 
when  I  met,  at  Ludiana  on  the  Satlaj,  good  John  Newton,  of  the 
American  Presbyterian  Board.  I  have  had  my  eye  on  John 
Newton  for  forty-four  years,  and  he  is  at  his  work  still,  for  I 


(       52       ) 

heard  from  him  only  last  month.  For  twenty  years  I  was,  as  an 
official,  in  relation  with  him,  and  never  heard  a  complaint  from 
his  lips  ;  but  I  marked  well  his  consistent  Christian  walk:  there  are 
many  others  of  his  stamp,  and  I  wish  that  all  were  like  them  ;  but 
a  great  deal  depends  upon  the  character  of  the  Missionary,  the 
local  authority,  and  the  general  population.  There  must  be 
light  and  shade  in  the  life  of  Missions,  as  in  the  life  of  man,  but 
a  spirit  of  conciliation,  a  practical  illustration  of  the  principles, 
that  are  preached,  a  determination  not  to  depart  from  the  Law 
of  Love,  and  Discipline  of  Patience,  except  under  extreme  neces- 
sity, will  work  its  way  at  last.  If  it  does  not,  let  us  remember, 
that,  in  all  cases,  it  will  be  better  to  abandon  the  Mission,  at 
least  for  a  time,  rather  than  to  alienate  the  hearts  of  the  Non- 
Christians,  make  Christianity  odious  in  their  eyes,  and  the 
Missionaries  a  disgrace  to  the  country,  which  sends  them  out. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Missionaries  (Priests  and  Nuns),  who 
have  now  been  so  many  years  in  hopeless  captivity  in  the 
Egyptian  Sudan,  present  to  us  a  noble  example  of  constancy, 
and  one,  which  Protestant  Missionaries  will  do  well  to  take 
to  heart.  Like  the  British  Missionaries  on  Lake  Nyassa,  they 
were  guilty  of  the  extreme  imprudence  of  settling  in  the  interior 
of  a  country,  a  thousand  miles  from  the  sea,  in  the  basin  of 
the  Nile,  the  navigation  of  which  has  now  been  obstructed 
since  the  fall  of  Khartum,  and  the  block  of  the  Caravan 
Route  to  Suakim.  No  European  Power  will  interfere  to  save 
these  poor  people,  though  they  went  under  the  protection  of 
Consuls.     But  they  are  safe  under  the  shadow  of  the  INIost  High. 

July,  1888. 


(    53     ) 


V. 


RELATION  OF  MISSIONARIES  TO  BARBAROUS 
SOVEREIGNS  OR  PETTY  CHIEFS  IN  ASIA,  AFRICA, 
AND  OCEANIA. 

I  PASS  to  the  consideration  of  those  non-Chtistian  countries, 
which  lie  outside  the  limits  of  European  Authority.  The  Mis- 
sionary enters  these  with  his  life  in  his  hand.  He  passes 
beyond  all  the  immediate,  or  indirect,  protection  of  any 
European  Government.  If  he  fall  by  the  hand  of  the  bandit,  or 
assassin,  no  demand  for  reparation  can  be  made.  If  plundered 
of  his  property,  he  can  hope  for  no  redress.  If  imprisoned,  he 
can  only  hope  for  liberty  by  means  of  friendly  interference,  or 
payment  of  ransom.  Worldly  men  would  look  on  in  greater 
admiration  and  astonishment  at  such  self-devotion,  if  it  were 
not  patent  to  all  observers,  that  the  Traveller,  the  Man  of  Com- 
merce, the  Man  of  Science,  the  mere  Adventurer,  the  great 
Hunter  of  Wild  Beasts,  had  done  the  same  in  all  Climes,  and 
at  all  periods  of  History.  But  the  majority  of  these  last  are 
birds  of  passage,  and  pass  on,  leaving  no  trace  behind  them. 

The  Missionary,  on  the  other  hand,  seeks  to  make  the  country 
his  home,  to  occupy  land,  erect  buildings,  and  found  a  new 
Society  among  the  indigenous  population.  Herein  lies  the 
great  difference  betwixt  the  INIissionary,  and  any  other  subjects  of 
European  Governments,  in  non-Christian  countries.  The  object 
of  the  Missionary  is  soon  discovered  to  be,  to  a  certain  extent, 
subversive  of  existing  institutions ;  he  is  indeed  founding  a  new 
Polity,  and  propagating  a  new  Idea.  He  offends  the  ignorant 
lower  classes  by  denying  the  sanctity  of  what  they  have  hitherto 
deemed  sacred.  He  alarms  the  ruling  classes  by  his  strange 
Communist  doctrines,  that  the  lives  and  possessions  of  the 
meanest  individual  are  entitled  to  protection.  He  alienates 
those,  who  were  originally  well  disposed,  by  prematurely  de- 
nouncing Polygamy,  and  domestic  Slavery,  ancient  customs  of  the 
Oriental  World,  which  should  be  allowed  to  die  out,  as  they  have 
done  in  Europe.     He  does  not  advance  into  the  country  alone. 


(     54    ) 

for  he  is  followed,  or  preceded,  by  the  trader  in  fire-arms  and 
spirituous  liquors.  As  soon  as  a  Native  Congregation  is  estab- 
lished, unless  he  maintains  over  his  feelings  a  strong  restraint, 
he  forgets,  that  the  Kingdom,  which  he  has  been  preaching,  is 
not  of  this  World,  and  that  his  converts  are  still  African  subjects 
of  a  Native  State,  and  members  of  an  African  Community.  He 
forgets,  that  the  African  can  no  more  alter  the  customs  of  his 
race,  than  he  can  change  his  skin,  and  that  in  his  heart  of  hearts 
he  can  see  no  evil  in  Polygamy  or  Slavery.  Complications, 
which  already  exist  to  some  extent,  will  be  further  developed, 
if  the  Consular  system  be  introduced,  with  this  anomaly,  that, 
if  a  British  Missionary  kill  an  African,  the  Queen's  warrant  will 
issue  against  him  ;  but  if  an  African  kill  a  INIissionary,  nothing 
can  be  done.  We  must  face  the  difficulty.  Either  the  territory, 
within  which  the  Mission  is  located,  is  under  some  recognized 
Sovereign,  or  it  is  utterly  outside  any  jurisdiction.  Let  me  con- 
sider both  contingencies. 

Of  the  first  case  we  have  an  instance  in  the  Protestant  Mission 
of  one  of  our  great  Societies,  and  the  Roman  Catholic  Mission 
of  the  French,  located  at  Rubaga,  the  capital  of  the  King  of 
U-Ganda,  on  the  Victoria  Nyanza.  Unquestionably  this  Sovereign 
rules  over  a  constituted  State,  with  the  will  and  power  to  enforce 
his  orders.  Both  Missions  have,  apparently  with  a  want  of 
worldly  wisdom,  placed  themselves  and  their  property,  and  their 
Missionary  prospects,  in  the  hands  of  this  Potentate,  who 
undoubtedly  has  a  contempt  for  human  life,  and  is  guided  by 
no  law  beyond  his  own  will.  We  have  two  sets  of  documents, 
which  furnish  unmistakable  evidence  of  the  unsatisfactory  state 
of  affairs,  and  of  the  utter  absence  of  any  fixed  policy  upon  the 
part  of  the  responsible  heads  of  both  ^Iissions.  Les  Missions 
Catholiques,  a  weekly  paper  published  at  Lyons,  and  The  Record 
and  Intelligencer  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  abundantly 
enable  us,  in  this  matter,  to  form  a  judgment.  The  Roman 
Catholic  Missionaries  brought  out  most  unsuitable  presents  to 
the  King,  viz.  warlike  weapons  and  trappings  :  the  Protestant 
Missionaries  allowed  themselves  at  one  time  to  be  employed  in 
repairing  instruments  of  war.  Both  parties  condescended,  in 
the  presence  of  non-Christians,  to  discuss  the  abstruse  tenets 
of  their  respective  systems,  thus  exposing  Christianity  upon  its 
weakest  flank.     They  have  been  established  ten  years. 

It  need  cause  no  great  surprise,  if  the  priests,  and  conservative 
classes,  of  a  country  long  left  in  spiritual  darkness,  should  be 
opposed  to  the  introduction  of  light  coming  in  an  unexplained 
way  from  an  unknown  country,  and  delivered  by  untrained  and 
unskilled  messengers,  with  an  imperfect  knowledge  of  the 
language.  What  are  we  to  think  of  Rifles,  Revolvers,  and  one 
thousand  rounds  of  Ball-cartridge  being  part  of  the  outfit  of  a 


(    55     ) 

Christian  Missionary  to  Africa  in  1880?  Will  no  experience 
make  us  wiser  ?  Mr.  McCarthy,  of  the  Inland  Mission,  walked 
through  China  unarmed,  and  passed  among  its  people  uninjured 
and  uninsulted.  It  need  excite  no  astonishment,  if  the  Arabs, 
or  rather  Arabic-speaking  Mahometan  natives  of  Eastern  Africa, 
resent  the  intrusion  into  their  domains  of  Christians  preaching 
against  Slavery  and  Polygamy.  The  pages  of  Livingstone, 
Stanley,  Cameron,  and  Schweinfurth,  amply  testify,  that  the 
Arabs  have  behaved,  on  the  whole,  remarkably  well  to  the 
Christian  Traveller  and  Missionary.  But  they  would  be  more 
than  mortals,  if  they  submitted  without  a  struggle  to  the  avowed 
enemies  of  their  religion,  commerce,  and  domestic  habits.  The 
Mission  to  the  Victoria  Nyanza  presents  a  problem  of  extreme 
difficulty,  and  imperatively  demands  in  the  Missionary  gifts  of 
the  highest  order.  More,  perhaps,  than  anywhere  else,  are  needed 
here,  a  spirit  of  entire  self-sacrifice,  a  fixed  policy  of  doing,  or 
abstaining  from  doing,  a  sublime  patience,  the  wisdom  of  the 
serpent  joined  to  the  harmlessness  of  the  dove,  and  a  complete 
control  of  both  tongue  and  temper,  and  a  single  eye  to  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel.  Many  of  these  graces  have  been  entirely 
wanting.  Precious  lives  have  been  lost :  some  by  the  hand  of 
the  assassin,  some  by  disease ;  the  complications  of  the  fate  of 
Emin  Pasha,  the  Expedition  of  Henry  Stanley,  the  Exploration 
of  Joseph  Thomson,  the  colonial  ambition  of  Germany,  have 
all  added  to  the  difficulty  of  the  problem,  which  has  often  been 
aggravated  by  the  want  of  judgment  of  the  agents.  Periods  of 
great  affliction  and  persecution,  and  spoiling  of  goods,  have 
had  to  be  passed  through,  and  the  labour  of  many  years,  and  the 
enormous  outlay,  appear  like  handfuls  of  sand  cast  into  the 
Equatorial  Lake.  Still,  by  the  Grace  of  God  and  the  constancy, 
of  one  man,  the  Fort  has  been  held,  and  the  Mission  is  there. 

The  King  of  U-Ganda  is  of  Galla  extraction,  ruling  over  Bantu 
subjects.  His  kingdom  is  just  on  the  dividing-line  of  four 
distinct  races,  the  Hamitic,  Negro,  Nuba,  and  Bantu.  He  had 
heard,  no  doubt,  that  the  Christian  King  of  Abyssinia  had  turned 
all  the  European  Missionaries  out  of  his  country,  that  the  Empire 
of  the  Turks,  which  once  touched,  and  threatened  to  swallow  up, 
his  dominions,  had  in  some  way  disappeared  beyond  his  horizon  ; 
but  rumours  reach  him  from  the  North  of  the  movements  of 
Emin  Pasha,  and  of  one  greater  than  him,  the  great  "  stone- 
crusher,"  Stanley,  who  years  ago  visited  Rubaga.  From  the  South 
his  Semite,  or  Semitized,  Arab  guests  tell  him  of  the  occupation 
of  the  whole  country  South  and  East  of  the  Lake  by  the  Germans 
and  British  :  he  is  aware,  that  arms  and  gunpowder  are  becoming 
very  plentiful,  and  that  European  liquor  is  beginning  to  be 
not  unknown.  He  connects  these  phenomena,  and  not  illogi- 
cally,  with  the  Missionaries.     He  has  already  killed  a  Bishop, 


(     56    ) 

and  he  cannot  understand,  how  such  an  act  can  be  pardoned  : 
he  thinks  rather,  that  vengeance  would  have  been  taken,  if 
vengeance  had  been  possible.  The  murder  of  a  white  man  is 
an  evil  in  itself,  because,  if  unnoticed,  it  encourages  a  repetition 
of  the  offence.     The  tiger  has  tasted  blood.  ■ 

Some  sympathy  with,  and  even  pity  for,  an  African  Sovereign 
should  be  felt  by  those,  who  have  had  experience  in  rule.  He 
feels,  that  he  is  being  somehow  eaten  up ;  he  has  to  deal  with  a 
danger,  the  extent  of  which  he  cannot  understand.  The  farmer 
of  North  Africa  cannot  cope  with  the  flights  of  locusts  and 
crickets,  which  eat  him  up  :  the  African  Chief  is  in  the  same 
plight.  He  demands  presents  and  services  of  various  kinds,  but 
he  finds,  to  his  astonishment,  that  his  wives  and  his  pages  are 
taking  up  new  moral  and  religious  ideas,  positively  or  negatively 
disobeying  his  wishes:  his  advisers  give  him  insidious  advice, 
while  his  habits  of  intemperance  make  him  unfit  for  serious 
coiinsel.  If  he  could  only  read  the  European  newspapers,  he 
would  find,  that  the  Missionaries,  his  guests,  describe  him  as  a 
living  monster,  and  say  all  manner  of  unkind  things  about  his 
personal  habits,  his  morals,  and  public  policy  :  possibly  the  Arabs 
at  Zanzibar  do  send  him  some  extracts  of  these  reports,  which  in 
a  garbled  form  are  communicated  to  him,  and  madden  him. 

The  Missionaries  are  of  necessity  extremely  young  men  ;  and 
totally  unversed  in  public  affairs :  nor  are  they  me-n  of  learning, 
or  power,  or  high  education  :  they  are  constantly  changing,  and 
quarrelling  with  each  other :  of  the  two  main  divisions,  the  French 
are  ready  to  say  an  evil  word  against  the  British,  and  the  British 
warn  the  King  against  the  French  and  their  doctrines :  this  is 
another  cause  of  wonder  and  confusion,  and  both  parties  speak 
of  the  policy  of  the  third,  the  German,  with  condemnation.  The 
demand  for  "  Hongo "  is  a  source  of  endless  trouble.  It  is 
at  once  a  transit-duty,  and  an  Income-Tax,  and,  if  a  reasonable 
amount  is  properly  levied,  there  can  be  no  manner  of  complaint, 
for  the  transit-duty  is  in  return  for  the  roads  being  kept  open  to 
travellers,  and  the  Income-Tax  is  the  lawful  return  to  the 
Supreme  Power  for  Protection  of  Life  and  Property.  In  all 
Oriental  countries,  notably  British  India,  exchange  of  Presents, 
or  payment  of  tolls,  is  part  of  the  understood  machinery  of  inter- 
course. But  the  difficulty  arises,  when  the  claim  is  unreasonable, 
excessive,  and  pressed  in  a  hostile  manner.  The  Missionary 
must  submit  to  it :  the  only  remedy  is  to  take  as  little  property 
with  him  as  possible,  and  tempt  the  cupidity  of  the  Native  Chief 
as  little  as  possible.  It  is  a  difficulty  which  must  be  faced,  and 
which  may  possibly  compel  the  enterprize  to  be  abandoned. 
Under  no  possible  circumstances  should  arms,  or  ammunition, 
or  liquors,  form  part  of  these  presents:  in  fact,  the  JNIissionary 
should  not  have  such  things  to  offer. 


(    57    ) 

In  the  Illustrated  Catholic  Missions,  the  organ  of  the  Bishop 
of  Salford,  February,  1888,  p.  153,  appears  an  article  headed, 
*'  The  Gospel  and  the  Sword,"  which  marks  a  new  departure  in 
]\Iission-work.  It  suggests,  that  the  Missionary  should  arm 
his  converts,  so  that  they  may  be  able  to  defend  their 
rights  against  their  Heathen  Sovereign  and  fellow-countrymen. 
He  quotes  with  approbation  the  policy  of  the  Jesuits  in  Para- 
guay, who  conducted  military  operations  against  the  Portuguese. 
Thirty  or  forty  Native  Christians,  trained  and  armed  with 
repeating  rifles,  would  be  a  force,  which  no  native  potentate 
or  slaver  would  dare  to  molest.  In  the  May  number,  p.  6,  it 
is  admitted,  that  U-Ganda  is  the  region,  in  which  this  new 
departure  is  proposed  ;  a  Member  of  the  Church  Militant,  from 
Colorado  in  America,  offers  to  subscribe  one  hundred  dollars, 
and  is  of  opinion,  that  the  great  work  of  converti?ig  and  civilizing 
the  heathen  will  not  be  accomplished  until  the  suggestion  of  the 
"  Gospel  and  Sword"  be  carried  out  in  a  practical  manner.  At 
the  great  meeting  in  May  of  the  Manchester  Geographical  Society, 
in  my  address  I  called  the  particular  attention  of  a  Roman  Catholic 
dignitary,  who  was  present,  to  this  really  abominable  proposal  of 
Missionary-buccaneering,  and  entire  departure  from  Gospel- 
precept  :  "  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  by  the  sword." 
The  policy  would  lead  to  the  extermination  of  the  few  Christians, 
and  the  slaughter  of  the  Missionary,  his  wife,  children,  and 
followers.  It  is  quite  possible,  that  the  Sectaries  of  one 
denomination  would  attack  the  other,  and  the  Jesuit  Priest  would 
shoot  the  Protestant  Minister.  The  ill-omened  Mission  in  Para- 
guay has  long  since  passed  away.  In  the  July  number  the  Editor 
again  returns  to  the  subject,  justifies  it,  but  would  not  have 
the  Christian  Missionaries  become  IMilitary  Chiefs,  and  adds  a 
condition,  which  at  once  places  the  suggestion  outside  of  practical 
politics,  that  "  the  sanction  of  the  respective  Governments  of  the 
Missionaries  be  obtained."  After  the  lesson  taught  to  the  British 
Nation  by  the  fate  of  Gordon  at  Khartum,  it  is  not  likely,  that 
letters  of  marque  will  be  issued  to  British  Missionaries  in  Central 
Equatorial  Africa.  Unless  the  accounts  of  the  fearful  massacre 
of  Native  Christians  in  Tonquin  by  their  enraged  Sovereign  is 
merely  a  device  to  collect  subscriptions,  the  policy  of  the  Roman 
Catholics  in  that  country  is  a  warning  against  the  policy  of  the 
"  Gospel  and  the  Sword." 

Wherever  therefore  there  is  a  recognized  Sovereign  of  a 
State,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Preacher  of  the  Gospel,  as  of  the 
Merchant  and  the  Traveller,  to  submit  to  the  laws  of  that  State, 
or  to  leave  it.  St.  Peter's  utterances  are  very  clear  on  this  subject 
(I.  ii.  13):  "Submit  yourselves  to  every  ordinance  of  man  for 
the  Lord's  sake,  whether  it  be  to  the  King,  or  unto  Governors." 
The  Missionary  forgets,  that  he  is  the  intruder,  and  that,  if  his 


(     58     ) 

entry  be  opposed,  or  his  remaining  rendered  impossible,  it  may  be 
a  leading  of  Providence  that  he  should  retire.  It  is  very  objection- 
able, that  he  should  be  invested  with  any  Secular  power,  such  as 
that  of  Vice-Consul,  or  JMagistrate,  or  Judge:  he  should  appear 
solely  as  Christ's  Ambassador,  and  put  away  the  haughtiness  of 
the  Briton,  and  put  on  a  little  more  of  the  meekness  and  humility 
of  a  Christian:  it  is  to  be  feared,  that  Christian  men  do  not  always 
do  Christian  work  in  a  Christian  way.  Patience  and  Humility  are 
not  ordinary  graces  of  the  young  Briton  in  Asia  or  Africa. 

On  the  South  Coast  of  Victoria  Nyanza,  in  the  region  stretching 
Westward  to  Lake  Tanganyika,  and  Southward  to  the  Zambesi, 
there  are  no  great  Kings,  but  a  great  many  Chiefs,  some  of  whom, 
like  Mirambo,  Mandara,  and  Mataka,  are  well  known  to  readers 
of  Missionary  periodicals.  Hongo  is  of  course  the  first  difficulty  : 
a  regular  supply  of  necessaries  the  second :  permission  to  teach 
the  third.  In  some  portions  of  this  vast  Region  two  new 
elements  of  confusion  arise :  the  invasion  of  professional 
plunderers  of  Zulu  extraction,  from  beyond  the  Zambesi,  but 
known  by  many  local  names ;  a  kind  of  Adullamites,  whose 
numbers  are  recruited  by  the  outlaws  of  each  tribe  ;  and  secondly 
the  organized  Caravans,  or  Settlements,  of  Arab  Slave -dealers. 
In  the  midst  of  such  a  Region  no  less  than  five  British  Missions 
are  working,  as  well  as  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  it  is  well  to 
consider,  without  favour,  or  prejudice,  and  as  fearlessly  as  impar- 
tially, the  tremendous  difficulties  of  the  positions  occupied,  and 
to  notice  with  sincerity  and  faithfulness,  the  dangers,  the  errors, 
and  the  temptations,  of  the  environment. 

The  object  of  the  promoters  of  these  Missions  is  to  locate  a 
Christian  colony  in  the  very  heart  of  a  savage  heathendom,  to  . 
gather  round  a  small  number  of  European  Missionaries,  both  lay 
and  ordained,  a  Christian  Family,  which  should  develope  into 
a  Christian  Village,  and  expand  into  a  Christian  Community, 
supporting  itself  by  honest  industry,  living  a  Christian  life,  and 
destined  to  hand  on  the  Lamp  of  Life  further  and  further  over 
the  Dark  Continent.  This  is  clearly  a  policy  of  aggression 
against  Paganism,  Islam,  Slavery,  and  Polygamy ;  against  violent 
crimes,  abominable  habits,  and  bloody  customs ;  it  is  a  struggle 
for  dear  life  between  the  most  exalted  form  of  Christian  Culture, 
and  Savagery,  between  the  Gospel  on  the  one  hand,  and  Cruelty, 
Lawlessness,  and  Idolatry  upon  the  other.  The  good  men, 
engaged  in  this  contest,  asked  no  leave  of  their  own  Sovereign, 
or  of  foreign  Potentates  :  they  appealed  to  no  Treaty  ;  if  one  of 
their  number  falls,  they  have  to  bury  him,  and  lift  up  their  eyes 
to  the  Lord,  and  go  on,  hoping  that  their  cry  might  not  be  in 
vain  for  fresh  recruits  to  fill  the  vacant  places.  But  the  difficulty 
of  their  position  cannot  be  ignored.  It  is  likely  to  increase, 
as  they  grow  more  settled,  and  to  become  more  urgent  as  their 


(     59    ) 

numbers  multiply.  Rural  wealth  will  accumulate,  comforts  of 
all  kinds  will  multiply,  and  the  plunderer  will  have  to  be  kept 
at  bay.  They  are  sorely  tempted,  in  spite  of  the  prohibition  of 
the  Parent  Committee,  to  make  their  Settlement  a  refuge  to  the 
poor  slave  :  they  cannot  turn  away  a  poor  footsore  woman,  with 
marks  of  a  flogging  on  her  naked  back,  accompanied  by 
starving  children.  They  are  in  a  frightful  dilemma,  and  their 
heart  influences  their  "judgment. 

This  implies  Defensive  Warfare.'  When  men  congregate 
together,  the  necessity  of  some  kind  of  Police,  and  of  some  sort 
of  Magisterial  Power,  to  protect  the  weak  from  the  strong,  and 
the  honest  man  from  the  thief,  will  be  absolutely  necessary.  In 
the  case  of  a  new  colony  of  men  of  the  same  race,  those  public 
oflices  would  be  conferred  by  election.  But,  where  the  com- 
munity consists  of  an  aggregate  of  runaway  slaves  and  converted 
Africans,  in  the  lowest  state  of  culture,  it  is  simply  indispensable 
that  those,  who  brought  them  together,  shpuld  assume  control- 
ling power.  Such  has  ever  been  the  origin  of  all  Political 
Society.  Missionary  Bodies  must  boldly  face  the  difficulty  thus 
encountered,  and  treat  their  Settlements,  as  the  decks  of  a  ship 
in  the  open  sea.  They  must  authorize  in  these  cases  one  of 
their  Lay  Agents  to  introduce  a  system  of  police,  and  a  scale  of 
punishment,  the  chief  of  which  last  should  be  expulsion  from 
the  Community.  Punishment  by  death  should  not  even  be 
allowed  to  be  discussed,  as  inconsistent  with  the  position  of  a 
Missionary,  but  slight  fines,  moderate  chastisement  of  youthful 
male  off'enders  with  a  rattan,  brief  imprisonment  in  the  stocks  in 
some  open  space,  and  expulsion,  must  be  recognized  as  lawful 
under  the  circumstances.  If  any  member  of  the  Community  is 
guilty  of  a  homicide,  which  in  a  civilized  country  would  amount 
to  murder,  such  a  person  must  be  expelled  from  the  Community, 
but  nothing  more.  In  the  hard  necessity  of  a  Defensive  War,  to 
protect  life  and  honour,  life  may  be  sacrificed  ;  but  it  may  safely 
be  laid  down,  that  without  the  warrant  of  his  Sovereign,  no 
Briton  can  under  any  other  circumstances  take  away  the  life  even 
of  the  blackest  Criminal.  Neither  would  it  be  expedient  to 
invest  the  Head  of  such  a  Mission  with  Consular  Powers.  This 
would  cut  both  ways.  The  Queen  of  Great  Britain  will  not 
entrust  such  powers,  except  under  certain  conditions,  and,  as  the 
death  of  a  Consul  is  an  international  wrong,  such  conditions 
would  no  doubt  hamper  the  freedom  of  the  Mission,  or  might 
lead,  for  political  reasons,  to  its  entire  withdrawal  at  a  moment, 
when  Missionary  prospects  were  perhaps  the  brightest.  The 
Missionaries  would  be  impeded  rather  than  assisted  by  such 
powers,  for  they  come  under  the  head  of  an  appeal  to  the  Arm 
of  the  Flesh.  Any  such  appeal  will  involve  a  Mission  in  a 
sea  of  difficulties.     Great  judgment  would  have  to  be  used  in 


(    60    ) 

the  exercise  of  the  powers  above  described  as  lawful.  IMany 
an  offender  must  be  allowed  to  escape,  as  the  least  of  two 
evils. 

Those,  who  know  the  country,  state,  that  there  is  no  "No  man's 
land,"  and  that  a  Chieftain  is  always  forthcoming.  He  must  be 
encouraged,  supported,  and  advised  to  maintain  his  authority. 
But  here  other  difficulties  arise :  their  crimes  are  not  our  crimes, 
their  view  of  right  and  wrong  is  not  our  view,  their  rules  of 
evidence  are  not  ours,  their  forms  of  punishment  are  not  ours. 
A  Native  Raja  in  the  Panjab  used  to  hamstring  all  thieves 
caught  in  the  act  of  theft.  In  some  countries  adulterers  are 
emasculated.  In  the  narrative  of  an  expedition  up  the  Nile  I 
read,  that  some  British  travellers  made  over  a  thief  to  the  local 
Pasha;  but  when  they  discovered  what  the  punishment  was 
to  be,  they  all  went  with  tears  to  recall  their  charge,  and  beg 
for  the  criminal's  liberty.  Thus  it  is  seen,  that  there  is  great 
danger  in  making  over  a  case  to  a  Native  Chief.  Reckless 
of  the  life  of  the  poor,  they  have  no  discrimination  in  trial  or 
judgment. 

But  this  presupposes  an  environment  of  peaceful  savages,  but 
the  Slave-dealer,  and  the  Zulu  Robber,  disturb  that  peace.  The 
IMissionary,  if  left  alone,  has  the  bitter  task  of  seeing  a  friendly 
village  laid  waste,  and  its  inhabitants  killed,  or  carried  off,  and 
dares  not,  and  ought  not  to  interfere.  So  long  as  no  one  attacks 
his  ship,  he  has  no  warrant  to  attack  another  ship  with  a  view 
of  protecting  a  third.  If  he  does,  he  runs  the  risk  of  being 
defeated,  and  sharing  the  ruin,  or  being  a  conqueror  stained 
with  blood,  or  encumbered  with  prisoners  in  fetters.  How  can 
Gospel-preaching  be  carried  on  under  such  conditions  ? 

A  further  complication  arises,  when,  independent  of,  yet  in 
strict  alliance  with,  the  Missionaries,  good  and  honourable 
European  traders  are  occupied  in  a  legitimate  commerce, 
strictly  excluding  arms,  ammunition,  and  liquor,  and  become 
the  objects  of  attack  from  the  Slave-dealer,  or  the  Brigand, 
who  covet  possession  of  his  wares,  and  whose  trade  he  interferes 
with.  Can  the  Missionary  look  calmly  on  the  murder,  and 
plunder,  of  his  secular  friend  }  Can  he,  on  the  other  hand,  as 
a  servant  of  Christ,  take  part  in  actual  warfare  }  It  has  tran- 
spired, that  such  Traders  have  a  supply  of  handcuffs  or  fetters 
on  board :  this  seems  to  imply  that  they  usurp  authority  to 
imprison :  it  is  hinted,  that  they  intend  to  entertain  armed 
followers  :  this  looks  like  War,  and  Commercial  Filibustering. 

The  situation  of  affairs  on  the  Lake  Nyassa  is  very  complicated, 
and  it  is  difficult  to  define  what  a  Missionary  should  do,  or 
should  not.  We  may  place  the  difficulty  with  the  Portuguese  on 
one  side :  there  is  no  doubt,  that  the  freedom  of  navigation  of 
the  River  Zambesi  will  be  secured.     The  difficulty  is  as  regards 


(61) 

the  Arabs,  who  are  described  as  Slave-dealers,  and  are  in  fact 
quite  as  much  aliens  on  the  Shores  of  the  Lake,  as  the  British 
JMissionaries.  But  the  three  Societies,  whose  interests  are 
affected,  do  not  state  distinctly,  what  they  desire,  or  do  not 
realize  what  the  gratification  of  those  desires  means.  There  are 
four  objects  placed  before  the  public,  only  one  of  which,  in  my 
opinion,  concerns  them  as  Missionaries,  the  first. 

I.  Evangelization  of-the  Heathen. 

The  other  three  may,  or  may  not,  be  desirable,  but  they 
have  no  necessary,  or  lawful,  connection  with  Missionary 
operations. 

II.  Abolition  of  the  Slave-trade. 

III.  Expansion  of  Lawful  Commerce. 

IV.  Enlargement  of  the  British  sphere  of  Influence,  Pro- 
tectorate, or  Dominions. 

Then  there  are  several  schemes  suggested  for  the  purpose  of 
attaining  these  objects : 

I.  The  placing  under  the  British  sphere  of  Influence,  or 
Protectorate,  the  Basin  of  the  Lake  Nyassa. 

II.  The  despatch  of  an  armed  force  of  British  Soldiers  to 
conquer  and  occupy  the  Region,  as  in  the  analogous  case  of 
Barma  in  British  India.  This  would  make  the  whole  of  the 
British  Empire,  its  army,  and  resources,  responsible  for  the 
success  of  the  enterprize.  Is  it  worth  it  }  Is  the  game  worth 
the  candle  ? 

HI.  The  enlisting  of  armed  men  by  the  Mercantile  Company, 
who  own  the  steamers  :  these  would  wage  open  war  with  the 
Arabs  :  they  might,  or  might  not,  be  victorious  :  in  neither  case 
would  the  British  Empire  be  affected  ;  but  the  Men  of  God  would 
be  sadly  affected  in  the  eyes  of  the  Natives  by  their  contact  with 
the  Men  of  the  Sword,  and  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  dis- 
tinguish one  from  the  other. 

Every  one  of  these  schemes  belongs  to  the  category  of  the  Arm 
of  the  Flesh,  and  a  Christian  Missionary  should  keep  clear  of 
all.  Success  by  such  means  would  be  more  dangerous  to  their 
blessed  work  than  defeat.  I  repeat  what  I  said  at  the  Conference 
at  Manchester  in  their  presence,  that  I  would  sooner  see 
Livingstonia  destroyed,  and  the  Missionaries  swept  out  of  the 
Lake  Region,  than  to  have  the  Gospel  preached  with  the  aid 
and  support  of  Rifles,  and  in  a  blood-stained  Region.  The 
Missionaries  seem  to  take  a  low  view  of  their  high  office,  when 
they  press  upon  the  Government  and  the  Public  the  fact,  that  they 
have  sunk  so  many  thousand  pounds  in  the  enterprize  :  this 
smacks  more  of  Commerce  than  of  Gospel-preaching.  At  how 
many  thousand  pounds  can  we  value  one  saved  soul  ?  Lord 
Salisbury  cynically  replied  to  the  Deputation,  that  against  the 
Arabs  he  could  undertake  to  promise  no  help  whatsoever,  but  that 


(      62      ) 

the  Europeans  on  the  Lake  might  fight  themselves,  imthout  risking 
the  prestige  of  the  British  Empire  :  this  showed  a  very  inadequate 
perception  of  the  holy  position  and  duty  of  a  Christian  Missionary. 
There  can  be  no  manner  of  blessing  on  work  conducted 
under  such  conditions,  no  chance  of  preaching  and  teaching 
among  a  willing  population.  The  Swedish  Missionaries  have  had 
to  leave  Abyssinia:  they  had  no  Consuls  or  Ships  to  bully  the 
Negus  with :  the  British  Missionaries  must,  if  needs  be,  leave 
the  Nyassa.  The  occupation  of  these  African  Lakes,  so  far  in 
the  Interior,  was  a  gallant  feat,  but  not  a  prudent  enterprize. 
A  sound  Military  or  Commercial  undertaking  would  have 
commenced  with  a  basis  on  the  Coast,  and  worked  inwards  with 
supporting  stations. 

Such  phrases  as  the  following  do  not  read  well  in  a  religious 
Periodical : 

It  would  be  utterly  intolerable,  that  all  our  vast  outlay  in  men  and  money,  in 
stations  and  steamers,  in  languages  reduced,  and  a  hundred  and  one  kindred 
labours,  should  be  strangled  body  and  soul,  to  suit  the  convenience  of  Portugal. 

And  again : 

It  was  extremely  likely,  that  the  Arabs  would  be  very  troublesome  to  the 
Mission,  unless  tlie  influence  of  the  Goziertwient  could  be  brouglit  to  bear,  so  as  to 
restrai7i  t/ietn. 

Now  what  can  this  mean  but  an  appeal  to  the  Arm  of  the 
Flesh  ? 

And  this  is  written  with  regard  to  a  Mission,  whose  magnificent 
work  is  nearly  entirely  within  the  territories  of  the  Sultan  of 
Zanzibar,  and  the  German  Emperor,  with  only  a  few  outside 
Stations  and  one  steamer  at  the  most,  and  a  few  agents  on  Lake 
Nyassa,  and  I  am  aware  of  only  a  single  Lake-language  having 
been  reduced  by  them  for  the  purposes  of  their  Gospel-work  to 
the  Lake-tribes. 

I  am  afraid  of  not  stating  the  case  of  the  IMissionaries  with 
sufficient  clearness,  so  I  quote  extracts  from  Reports : 

The  Church,  with  which  he  was  connected,  had  a  Mission  in  the  Nyassa 
country.  The  experience  of  its  Missionaries  was  the  same  as  that  of  other 
Europeans,  viz.  that  the  question  was,  whether  the  Arab  or  the  European  was 
to  rule  in  Central  Africa.  Were  the  principles  of  Christianity  or  the  principles 
of  Mahometanism,  with  its  system  of  reckless  waste  of  human  life,  and  licensed 
robbery,  to  guide  that  unhappy  country?  He  thought  all  tliose  acquainted 
with  the  state  of  affairs  in  East  Central  Africa  would  say,  that  all  those  who 
had  the  power,  and  were  exercising  the  power  there,  were  the  Arabs.  Those 
who  had  got  most  benefit,  if  benefit  it  could  be  called,  from  the  discoveries  of 
European  Travellers,  were  the  Arabs  of  Zanzibar,  who  had  acted  in  a  most 
atrocious  way.  The  British  Government  would  do  exactly  what  tlie  public 
opinion  of  this  country  led  them  to  do,  and  the  object  of  the  present  Meeting 
was  that  of  educating  public  opinion  on  the  subject.  They  did  not  want  a 
British  armed  force  in  Nyassa- Land,  but  they  wanted  that  the  enemies  of  man- 


(    63     ) 

kind,  the  slave-raiders,  might  be  kept  from  molesting  and  killing  the  people, 
whom  the  Missionaries  went  to  bless. 

The  real  question  at  issue  is,  and  we  cannot  set  this  up  too  clearly  before  us, 
"  Is  Arab  and  Mahometan  influence,  or  is  English  and  German  and  Christian 
influence,  to  prevail  in  this  country  ?  "  Are  we  to  stand  by  and  see  Mahometan- 
ism  carried  by  fire  and  sword  through  Central  Africa,  and  every  Christian 
Mission  and  Christian  influence,  established  by  peaceful  means  and  at  immense 
cost  of  men  and  money,  isolated,  paralyzed,  and  destroyed  ?  It  seems  to  some 
that  England  has  been  sufficiently  humbled  at  Zanzibar.  Surely  we  are  not 
going  to  offer  the  spectacle  to  "Europe  of  Lake  Nyassa,  discovered  by  English 
enterprize,  on  which  subjects  of  Britain,  alone  qf  European  Powers,  have 
settled  for  purposes  of  trade  or  the  higher  purposes  of  religion,  surely  we  are 
not  going,  to  abandon  Lake  Nyassa  to  the  Arabs  and  the  desolations  of  the 
Slave-trade. 

One  very  distinguished  member  of  a  governing  body  openly 
recommended  British  annexation :  another  headed  a  contribu- 
tion to  a  leading  Paper,  "  How  to  Fight  the  Slave-Trade." 

Every  Missionary  disclaimed  any  wish  for  the  Arm  of  the 
Flesh,  and  yet  I  read  the  following  lines,  wondering  what  they 
mean  : 

There  had  been  great  troubles  on  the  Lake  recently.  The  Arabs  seemed  to 
be  getting  tired  of  the  restraint,  which  the  presence  of  white  people  placed 
upon  them,  and  they  had  made  an  attack  on  the  station  of  the  Lakes'  Company. 
He  trusted  that  the  powerful  Government  of  England  would  not  so  far  forget 
its  duty  as  to  refuse  to  come  to  their  aid.  He  did  not  ivant  any  force  to  be  used  on 
behalf  of  the  Missionmies.  The  Missionaries  knew  the  dangers  of  the  life, 
which  they  had  chosen,  they  held  their  lives  in  their  hands,  and  if  any  of  them 
were  killed,  he  should  not  wish  for  a  moment,  that  there  should  be  anything 
like  revenge  or  force  used.  But  at  least  they  might  ask  to  be  free  from  the 
interjerence  of  European  Powers  like  the  Portuguese,  and  from  the  people 
who  came  from  Zanzibar,  and  who  could  have  pressure  put  upon  them 
through  that  Government. 

Had  half  the  insult  therein  detailed  been  offered  thirty  years  ago  to  this 
Nation,  or  a  tithe  of  the  injury  done  to  our  fellow-subjects,  a  British  Fleet 
with  an  Ultimatum  would  have  been  in  Lisbon  Harbour  in  four  days. 

It  is  settled  beyond  recalling,  that  whether  it  be  at  Lukoma,  Bandawe,  or 
Blantyre,  our  Missionaries  must  not  look  for  "  Protection "  in  the  African 
acceptation  of  the  word  ;  nor  do  we  think  that  there  are  many  amongst  them, 
who  would  wish  it  otherwise.  Such  as  they  go  thither  to  experience  to  the 
full  the  wondrous  Providence  of  day  by  day,  and  the  clear  vision  is  not  with- 
held from  them.  The  smoke  of  a  gunboat  under  steam  would  leave  a  long 
trail  across  the  landscape  in  such  scenes,  hard  to  harmonize  ! 

In  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  for 
1888  I  read  as  follows  :  The  Foreign  Missions  Committee  (of 
both  Churches)  unite  in  asking  the  British  Government 

To  declare  Nyassa-land  a  sphere  of  British  influence. 

The  French  Jesuit  Priests  could  not  be  more  distinct  in  their 
utterance. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Scottish  Geographical  Society,  from  his 
point  of  view,  naturally  thinks,  that  if  the  Trading  Company  and 
the  Mission  are  to  flourish  on  the  Lake,  it  is  evident  that  some 


(     64    ) 

stronf^  guarantee  must  be  furnished  to  them  of  their  independent 
position.  I  take  the  liberty  of  replying  that,  rising  from  a 
survey  of  the  Missions  of  the  world,  I  cannot  find,  that  the 
blessed  work  of  preaching  the  Gospel  can  be  lumped  together 
with  bales  of  calico,  and  Manchester  goods,  or  brought  home 
to  the  heart  of  the  Heathen  by  Elephant  Rifles  and  armed 
Steamers,  and  I  am  quite  sure,  that  no  one  will  more  heartily 
echo  these  sentiments  than  the  excellent  British  INIissionaries  on 
both  sides  of  the  Nyassa  at  this  time. 

How  thankful  we  ought  to  be  that  such  men  as  Dr.  Crosse, 
and  ]\Ir.  Johnson,  were  the  Missionaries  on  the  spot  on  either 
side  of  the  Lake,  belonging  to  different  denominations,  but  with 
the  same  appreciation  of  their  dutj^.     Dr.  Crosse  writes : 

I  am  very  much  concerned  at  what  actlcwl  should  take  in  this  affair.  Up 
till  now  I  have  been  entirely  free  from  fighting.  I  am  inclined  to  take  this 
position,  offering  my  services  as  a  Surgeon,  but  refusing  to  fight  unless  the 
Mission  Station  is  attacked.     I  will  take  no  action  in  offensive  measures. 

Mr.  Johnson  submitted  patiently  to  personal  indignities,  and 
tells  his  tale  in  a  Christian  spirit,  worthy  of  all  admiration. 
The  example  of  the  sufferings  of  his  Lord  and  jNIaster  had  not 
been  lost  on  him.  Both  these  excellent  men  showed  true  valour 
and  sound  judgment.  The  natives  hereafter  will  tell  of  their 
conduct  with  love  and  reverence.  For  His  sake  and  the  Gospel 
they  retained  their  self-control  under  tremendous  provocation. 

It  is  all  very  well  to  say,  that  Livingstone's  great  object  by 
occupying  the  Lake  Nyassa  was  to  cut  the  Slave  Trade  into  two, 
and  paralyze  it :  well  and  good,  but  the  Preacher  of  the  Gospel 
is  not  sent  out  to  attack  Slave-dealers  by  force  of  arms :  his 
duty  is  to  trust  in  God,  and  keep  the  INIission  free  from  all  non- 
INIissionary  entanglements,  Avhether  of  Commerce,  or  War,  or 
opposition  to  the  Slave  Trade.  Rebuffs,  delays,  disappoint- 
ments, personal  assault,  loss  of  property,  inconveniences,  insults, 
should  be  taken  patiently  for  the  Lord's  sake,  and  are  so  taken 
in  many  countries  by  many  holy  men.  If  life,  liberty,  and  female 
honour  are  in  jeopardy,  recourse  must  be  had  to  the  Civil  Power, 
or,  failing  that,  to  God's  blessing  on  personal  endeavours.  It 
is  all  very  well  to  talk  of  a  Mission-village  being  the  Nucleus 
of  a  State:  it  is  really  only  the  leaven  of  a  State  founded  for 
secular  purposes,  and  the  Missionary  should  never  lose  sight 
of  the  simple  Evangelical  character  of  his  enterprize.  The 
remarks  of  the  Prime  Minister,  in  June,  1888,  must  have  dissi- 
pated the  last  idea  of  any  interference  of  the  State  in  the  Lake 
Regions,  which  are  beyond  the  sphere  of  British  Influence : 

The  only  note  in  my  noble  friend's  speech  that  jarred  on  my  ear  was,  when 
he  seemed  to  point  to  action,  which  means  military  action,  on  the  part  of 
England  to  assure  the  possession  to  these  communities  of  Lake  Nyassa.  Has 
he  really  formed  any  idea  of  the  task  he  is  laying  out  for  the  Government  of 


(    6s     ) 

this  country  ?  If  he  proposes  to  send  an  expedition,  which  can  subdue  all  this 
territory,  according  to  our  ideas  of  how  expeditions  should  be  organized  and 
■what  they  should  cost,  I  think  lie  would  find,  that  the  expedition  lo  Kgypt  of 
a  few  years  ago  would  melt  into  the  faintest  insignificance  compared  with  the 
task,  to  which  he  has  invited  this  country.  I  will  not  use  any  language  to 
encourage  the  belief,  that  the  Government  will  make  any  attempt  by  military 
action  to  suppoj-t  the  commercial  and  religions  efforts  of  the  Missionaries  there. 
It  is  not  our  duty  to  do  it.  We  should  be  risking  tremendous  sacrifices  for  a 
very  doubtful  gain.  It  is  one  of  those  tasks,  which  must  be  and  will  be  carried 
through  by  the  individual  Englishmen,  who  have  undertaken  it.  All  that  the 
Government  can  do  on  the  sea-coast,  all  that  we  can  do  diplomatically  within 
the  sphere  of  political  efforts  in  this  country,  we  will  do.  But  we  are  certain, 
that  we  should  only  injure  instead  of  promoting  these  great  civilized  and  Mis- 
sionary efforts,  if  we  were  to  convert  them  into  a  cause  of  war,  of  war  the  most 
exhausting,  the  most  terrible,  the  least  remunerative  in  any  sense  ;  war  with 
the  countless  savages  who  fill  these  Territories.  Because  it  is  not  a  Civilized 
Power,  with  which  we  have  to  fight ;  it  is  a  collection  of  all  the  scum  of 
humanity,  that  is  found  over  that  vast  Territory,  which  is  governed  principally 
by  Arabs  of  the  sort,  with  whom  we  have  dealt  in  the  Sudan,  who  combine 
the  grossest  cruelty  with  a  species  of  fanaticism.  We  must  leave  the  dispersal 
of  this  terrible  army  of  wickedness  to  the  gradual  advance  of  Civilization  and 
Christianity,  which  in  these  countries,  though  slow,  seems  now  to  be  sure. 

"  Sphere  of  Influence  "  is  a  grand  new  word,  coined  in  the  last 
three  years,  something  more  hazy  than  a  Protectorate,  and  a 
Protectorate  does  not  create  any  responsibilities  on  the  part  of 
the  Protector.  Let  me  follow  out  the  subject  On  Lake  Tan- 
ganyika there  are,  as  on  Victoria  Nyanza,  two  Missions,  a  French, 
and  a  British.  Already,  as  detailed  in  Part  IL  p.  33,  two 
Frenchmen  have  been  killed  by  the  tribes ;  but  the  Mission  is 
still  at  work.  The  British  Mission  has  a  Steamer  on  the  Lake. 
Evil  days  may  be  at  hand.  Tipu  Tib,  and  his  scoundrels,  may 
find  Stanley  Falls  and  Nyangwe  too  hot  to  hold  them,  and  fall 
back  on  Tanganyika,  and  we  may  find  the  features  described  on 
the  Nyassa  Lake  repeated,  and  the  British  Missionary  crying 
out  for  British  protection,  and  the  French  Missionary  for  French 
protection.  And  when  we  penetrate  further  into  the  interior,  we 
find  a  small  party  of  gallant  French  Protestants  holding  their 
own  among  the  Ba-Rotsi  on  the  Upper  Zamb6si,  beyond  all 
human  help,  and  yet  not  afraid.  Beyond  them  is  young  Arnott, 
an  Englishman,  alone,  among  the  Garaganja,  a  tribe  dimly 
known  from  the  reports  of  the  traveller  Cameron.  If  once  the 
precedent  is  set  of  Missionary  Societies,  as  in  this  case,  pressing 
on  European  Governments  to  extend  their  sphere  of  influence 
for  the  sake  of  INIissionaries,  where  will  it  end  ? 

There  is  another  danger.  When  a  country  is  annexed,  as 
Barma,  the  British  Government  introduces  its  system  of  manage- 
ment, and  is  responsible  for  the  protection  of  aliens.  In  a  Pro- 
tectorate the  responsibility  is  less,  but  the  protected  chiefs  are 
ordered  to  pay  compensation.  In  a  "sphere  of  influence"  no 
responsibility  is  claimed,  or  admitted.     It  is  merely  a  device  of 


(  ^^  ) 

one  great  European  Nation  to  keep  other  European  Nations  out. 
In  the  British  Sphere  of  Influence  on  the  Niger  and  in  Yoruba- 
land  horrible  crimes  are  committed,  like  Cannibalism,  and 
Human  Sacrifices,  Crimes  against  human  nature.  Year  by 
year  I  report  the  cases,  which  come  to  my  notice,  to  the  Foreign 
Office :  the  reply  always  is,  that  it  cannot  be  helped.  In  the 
Report  of  the  German  East  African  ^Missionary  Society,  which 
reached  me  to-day,  I  read  how  the  Agents  of  the  German 
Missionary  Society  at  Neukirchen  had  settled  at  Ngao 
within  the  Sphere  of  British  Influence,  West  of  Mombasa,  to 
evangelize  the  Wa-Pokomo.  They  were  building  their  houses  and 
forming  a  village,  when  the  wild  Somali  fell  upon  them.  They 
had  to  fly  for  their  lives  to  the  Station  of  the  British  United 
Methodists,  and  everything  which  they  had  was  robbed  and 
burnt:  they  had  lost  everything,  and  were  even  in  want  of  food. 
Have  they  any  claim  on  the  British  Government  ?  None :  two 
years  ago  two  Missionaries  of  the  British  United  Methodists  were 
killed  North  of  ]\Iombasa  within  the  sphere  of  British  influence, 
and  they  have  no  claim ;  and  no  meetings  were  assembled  at 
Manchester,  Glasgow,  or  London,  and  no  agitation  made  to 
Government  for  revenge  or  protection.  Two  British  Missions, 
and  one  French  Mission,  are  located  within  the  sphere  of 
German  influence  in  East  Africa.  If  any  evil  falls  upon  them, 
the  German  Government  will  disclaim  all  responsibility.  It  is 
as  well,  that  Missionary  Societies  should  understand  this. 

It  is  thoroughly  understood,  that  a  British  Missionary  will  not 
use  physical  force,  except  to  defend  life  and  female  honour ;  but 
it  is  not  quite  so  clearly  understood  by  those,  who  have  not 
studied  the  subject,  that,  if  a  particular  policy  is  followed,  the 
Missionary  will  find  himself  in  a  very  difficult  position :  if  he 
lives  on  intimate  terms  with  traders,  gets  his  supplies  from  them, 
associates  with  them,  takes  counsel  with  them,  and  ihey  fight, 
the  Natives  will  certainly  not  acquit  them  of  complicity,  and 
lookers-on  in  Great  Britain,  and  France,  and  Germany,  will 
scarcely  do  so  either.  Missions  have  often  been  given  up  tem- 
porarily or  for  ever,  and  it  is  no  discredit.  The  British  Missions 
at  U-Ganda  may  be  compelled  to  retire,  after  having  been  main- 
tained more  than  ten  years  at  a  cost  exceeding  one  hundred 
thousand  pounds  :  if  there  is  a  lion  in  the  path,  what  can  the 
servant  of  the  Lord  do  ?  If  the  door  is  shut,  who  can  open  it  ? 
Abyssinia  is  a  standing  example.  I  am  on  the  Committee  of 
the  London  Society  to  the  Jews,  and  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society,  and  am  well  acquainted  with  the  circumstances  of 
the  Swedish  Mission,  and  remember  how  Krapf  and  Gobat  and 
Isenberg  had  to  abandon  the  country,  and  seek  other  openings. 
Such  may  be  the  fate  of  the  Nyassa  Missions  :  anything  better 
than  bloodshed.     I  think  so  strongly,  as  for  fifteen  years  I  lived 


(    6;    ) 

in  the  midst  of  Annexations,  Protectorates,  Rebellions,  Mutinies, 
bloodshed  on  the  field  of  battle,  hanging  on  the  gallows.  These 
dreadful  things  are  forced  upon  us  by  political  circumstances. 
God  forbid,  that  a  Missionary  should  be  the  cause,  or  that  he 
should  bring  a  sword  instead  of  the  Gospel. 

My  note-book  supplies  a  sad  account  of  the  different  policy 
adopted  in  Oceania.  I  .quote  it  as  a  warning.  In  1865  Sir  W. 
Wiseman,  Commodore,  in  the  Ship  "Curagoa,"  cannonaded 
villages  in  the  Islands  of  the  New  Hebrides,  because  they  had 
taken  the  liberty  of  ejecting  one  Missionary,  and  been  rude 
to  another.  It  is  shocking  to  think,  that  on  both  occasions 
the  Missionary  was  present  on  board,  and  begged  the  Commo- 
dore to  spare  his  school-house.  We  do  not  read  of  anxiety 
expressed  for  the  women  and  children.  The  matter  was  taken 
up  by  the  Governing  Board  of  the  Mission,  and  a  severe 
censure  passed  on  the  Missionary,  who  was  himself  killed  on 
the  Island  soon  after.  In  the  narrative  of  the  cruise  of  the 
"  Curagoa,"  published  in  1875,  the  story  is  told  by  an  eye- 
witness. The  Mission  ought  to  have  been  abandoned,  rather 
than  bring  a  Ship  of  War  against  the  Island. 

It  is  of  no  use  denying  that  the  arrogance,  and  self-assertion, 
of  the  great  Anglo-Saxon  race  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic 
exhibits  itself  as  markedly,  and  as  unamiably,  in  their  Mission- 
aries as  in  their  Merchants,  Soldiers,  Travellers,  and  Officials. 
How  would  a  Swedish,  or  Swiss,  Mission  have  fared  on  Lake 
Nyassa  ?  And  yet  they  are  the  Ambassadors  of  Christ.  We  have 
only  to  try  to  imagine  St.  Paul  in  his  trouble  being  protected  by 
the  United  States  Man-of-War  "  Essex,"  or  by  Consul  O'Neil  in 
the  "  Ilala."  How  different  does  his  description  of  the  labours 
of  an  Evangelist  read  from  those  of  the  modern  Missionary,  as 
reflected  in  the  side-lights  thrown  upon  it  in  the  Debates  of  the 
British  Parliament,  or  the  Conferences  of  British  Geographical 
Societies  ?  What  have  "British  Interests,"  as  such,  to  do  with 
Christ's  Gospel,  which  existed  long  before,  and  which  will  out- 
live, the  power  and  greatness  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  ?  Such  a  policy 
as  the  one,  which  I  have  denounced,  and  which  all  good  Mission- 
aries denounce,  must  make  Missionaries  odious  to  the  races, 
among  whom  they  work  :  it  has  made  the  name  of  the  French 
Missionary  stink  in  every  quarter  of  the  World,  to  which  French 
ships  can  get  near.  I  appeal  to  all  the  Churches  to  resist  the 
insidious  evil :  it  destroys  the  character  of  the  Missionary  to 
hear  him  state,  that  his  Society  has  invested  so  much  capital  in 
this  Region,  or  that,  as  if  he  had  taken  shares  in  a  Joint-Stock 
Company,  and  call  upon  his  Government  to  get  him  compensa- 
tion. I -wonder  how  much  capital  during  the  last  century  the 
London  Missionary  Society  invested  in  the  Society  Islands  and 
the  Loyalty  Islands  :  to  the  eye  of  man  it  seems  all  lost  by  French 


(    68     ) 

occupation  ;  yet  it  has  been  well  spent,  as  the  most  profitable 
of  all  investments  is  the  purchase  of  hundreds  of  redeemed  souls. 
If  the  Government  were  weak,  and  the  pressure  of  the  Missionary 
Society  were  strong,  the  country  might  be  goaded  on  into  Pro- 
tectorates, Annexations,  or  Military  Expeditions,  to  end  as  miser- 
ably as  that  of  Gordon  at  Khartum.  When  the  Government 
turns  a  cold  shoulder  on  the  Missionary,  it  is  so  much  the  better 
for  his  cause.  We  should  think  more  of  Columba,  Columbanus, 
Aidan,  St.  Gall,  and  Boniface,  and  their  methods :  we  belong 
to  the  same  stock :  they  had  no  Arm  of  the  Flesh  to  help  them, 
and  yet  they  converted  a  great  portion  of  Europe. 

July,  1888. 


(    69     ) 


VI. 

RELIGIOUS    TOLERATION. 

What  is  it  ?  Something-  which  we  all  claim  for  ourselves,  but 
which  viany  deny  to  others.  Something  which  each  person 
interprets  in  a  sense,  which  fits  his  own  views.  Roman  Catho- 
lics would,  if  they  could,  deny  it  to  Protestantism.  Protestants 
of  the  High  Church  would  deny  it  to  those,  who  do  not 
conform  to  their  views.  Nonconformists  would  deny  it  to 
particular  classes  of  Christian  believers:  all  Christian  believers 
are  ready  to  deny  it  to  Unbelievers.  If  the  penalties  are  no 
longer  Death  on  the  Stake,  Imprisonment,  or  Spoliation  of  Goods, 
the  want  of  Toleration  shows  itself  in  denial  of  privileges,  exclu- 
sion from  offices,  and  social  ostracism.  Even  good  men  allow 
themselves  to  do  and  say  what  is  entirely  contrary  to  true 
Toleration.  Let  me  try  and  make  my  views  clear  as  regards 
Heathen  and  Mahometan. 

There  is  no  necessity  to  be  lax  in  Religious  convictions,  and 
hang  loosely  to  any  Church,  in  order  to  be  all  things  to  all  men: 
that  is  not  true  Toleration,  but  only  Indififerentism,  or  contemp- 
tuous disdain.  A  Christian  must  be  tolerant  to  the  Mahometan, 
the  Hindu,  the  Buddhist,  the  Pagan  :  he  must  be  tolerant  of  bad 
customs,  bad  habits,  bad  words,  bad  deeds,  bad  sentiments :  he 
must  be  tolerant  in  what  he  says  and  what  he  does.  It  is  more 
consonant  to  a  Christian  frame  of  mind  to  be  so.  And  it  specially 
becomes  a  Missionary  to  be  so.  The  surer  a  man  is  of  his  own 
convictions,  the  more  tolerant  will  he  be  of  the  conscientious 
convictions  of  others. 

Let  me  consider  the  "  State"  first. 

If  there  is  an  entire  disappearance  of  hona-fide  persecution,  and 
torture,  and  murder,  on  the  part  of  Religionists  in  power,  it  is 
mainly,  because  their  claws  have  been  clipped,  and  the  spirit  of 
the  age  has  been  changed.  It  would  have  been  impossible  for 
Servetus  to  have  been  burnt  alive  in  this  century :  still  Austria, 
and  such  like  Powers,  make  the  position  of  Protestants  very 
uncomfortable.    In  Spain  there  is  a  good  deal  of  caprice.    Even 


(    70    ) 

in  constitutional  countries  on  the  Continent  there  is  a  necessity 
for  licensing  and  notice  to  the  Police,  and  disabilities  of  one 
kind  or  another,  which  is  deplorable. 

In  Russia  circumstances  are  somewhat  different.  There  is  no 
objection  to  Bible  Distribution,  nor  do  the  Priests  object  to  the 
Bible.  Religious  liberty  is  allowed  to  the  Lutheran  subjects, 
but  that  liberty  does  not  include  facilities  for  proselytising, 
nothing  of  that  kind  can  be  allowed  in  Russia.  "  Never  will 
"  Russia  allow  the  Orthodox  Church  to  be  robbed  of  its  children. 
"  Russia's  sacred  duty  is  to  keep  from  the  Orthodox  Church  all, 
"  that  can  menace  her  security."  The  Roman  Catholics  complain 
bitterly  of  disabilities  in  Poland.  Dissenters  from  the  Orthodox 
Church  have  to  reckon  on  a  good  deal  of  persecution.  Jews  are 
grossly  ill-treated.  Severe  punishment  falls  upon  offenders  against 
the  Protectionist  laws  of  the  Orthodox  Church.  Only  two  years 
ago  an  agent  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  a  Pro- 
testant Armenian,  occupied  in  translating  the  Scriptures,  was 
banished  with  his  wife  and  children  from  Tiflis  to  Orenburg, 
where  he  is  permitted  to  continue  his  duties.  In  their  attempts 
to  convert  the  Non-Christian  inhabitants  of  Central  Asia  they 
conduct  their  operations  in  the  Russian  language,  and  the  litera- 
ture, which  they  publish,  is  in  that  language,  totally  unintelligible 
to  the  ignorant  men,  women,  and  children. 

The  Sultan  of  Turkey  appears  to  advantage,  when  contrasted 
with  his  Christian  neighbour.  The  Christian  inhabitants  have 
for  more  than  a  century  enjoyed  full  toleration,  under  the 
guarantee  of  the  great  Powers  of  Europe,  and  Protestant  Mis- 
sionaries have  full  licence  to  proselyte  them  :  but  up  to  the  time 
of  the  Crimean  War  in  theory,  if  not  practice,  a  Mahometan,  if 
he  became  a  Christian,  suffered  death.  It  seems  incredible,  that 
the  great  Powers  of  Europe  should  have  submitted  so  long  to 
such  an  insult  to  their  Faith. 

The  following  letter,  dated  February  12,  1856,  of  Fuad  Pasha 
to  the  British  Ambassador  at  Constantinople,  defines  the  existing 
law : 

The  official  communications,  made  formerly  by  your  Excellency,  both  in 
writing  and  verbally,  upon  the  subject  of  religious  matters,  have  been  taken 
into  minute  consideration.  The  important  and  friendly  services,  which  the 
Porte  has  at  all  times,  and  more  particularly  of  late,  experienced  on  the  part 
of  her  illustrious  Allies,  the  English  and  other  Governments,  are  appreciated  in 
the  highest  degree  by  His  Majesty  the  Sultan,  and  the  feeling  of  gratitude 
inspired  by  them  will  remain  for  ever  impressed  upon  the  heart  of  the  Ottoman 
Nation.  In  addition  to  the  sincere  desire  entertained  by  the  Porte  to  meet  as 
far  as  possible  the  friendly  representations  of  her  Allies  by  satisfactory  measures, 
she  is  also  well  acquainted  with  the  spirit  of  the  age,  and  she  hastens  accord- 
ingly, with  the  Imperial  sanction,  to  communicate  the  decision  adopted  regard- 
ing the  above  point.  In  consequence,  the  assurances  formerly  given  to  the 
British  and  French  Governments  with  reference  to  the  question  of  Renegades 
are  at  present  renewed,  and  confirmed  afresh,  while  an  additional  assurance  is 


(     71     ) 

declared  and  made  known,  that  the  terms  of  the  decision  at  that  time  adopted 
will  be  held  absolutely  to  co^nprise  all  Renegades.  It  is  sincerely  hoped,  that 
this  decision,  which  is  a  new  and  practical  proof  of  the  Porte's  refraining  on 
all  occasions  from  senselessly  thwarting,  or  opposing  measures  of  a  practical 
character,  will  meet  with  the  satisfaction  of  your  illustrious  Allies. 

Mehemet  Fuad. 

Lord  Stratford  de  Redcliffe  to  the  Earl  of  Clarendon. 

Constantinople,  February  12,  1856. 

My  Lord,  —  I  have  received  from  Fuad  Pasha  the  note,  which  he  had 
promised  in  reply  to  my  representations  and  demands,  on  the  subject  of  religious 
opinions,  and  the  impunity  of  renegades.  Inclosed  herewith  is  an  English 
translation  of  it.  Your  Lordship  will  perceive,  that  the  Porte  acknowledges  and 
confirms  its  former  declaration  respecting  renegades,  and  extends  it  expressly  to 
all,  including  Musalmans,  though  not  mentioned  by  name.  It  is  an  official  note, 
signed  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  given  expressly  with  the  Sultan's  sanction. 
Taken  into  consideration  with  the  article  recommended  by  the  three  Representa- 
tives, adopted  by  the  Porte,  and  inserted  in  the  Sultan's  firman  invested  with 
the  Hatti-Sherif,  it  may  be  received,  as  covering  the  whole  of  your  Lordship's 
requisition.  If  this  impression  of  mine  should  not  be  confirmed  by  Her 
Majesty's  Government,  the  door  is  open  for  a  return  to  the  question  ;  but,  if 
no  one  is  to  be  molested  on  account  of  the  religion  he  professes,  and  no  one  to 
be  punished  as  a  renegade,  whatever  form  of  faith  he  denies,  I  do  not  see 
what  room  there  can  possibly  be  for  any  practical  persecutions  in  future  within 
the  limits  of  the  Sultan's  Empire.  The  law  of  the  Koran  is  not  abolished,  it  is 
true,  respecting  renegades,  and  the  Sultan's  Ministers  affirm,  that  such  a  stretch 
of  authority  would  exceed  even  his  Majesty's  legal  power.  But  however  that 
may  be,  the  practical  application  of  it  is  renounced  by  means  of  a  public 
document,  and  Her  Majesty's  Government  would  at  any  time  be  justified  in 
complaining  of  a  breach  of  engagement,  if  the  Porte  were  to  authorize  or  to 
permit  any  exception  to  its  own  official  declaration.     I  have,  etc., 

Stratford  de  Redcliffe. 

This,  as  far  as  regards  the  Empire  of  Turkey,  puts  an  end 
to  any  idea  of  a  Mahometan  convert  being  legally  assailed  :  of 
course  he  is  still  in  danger  of  popular  indignation,  and  social 
disfavour. 

The  Empire  of  China  at  the  extreme  East  of  Asia  has  for 
many  years  been  in  the  same  position  as  the  Empire  of  Turkey 
on  the  extreme  West.  China  has  also  advanced  on  the  course 
of  Toleration,  as  evidenced  by  the  following  Proclamation,  one 
of  a  series  issued  in  the  different  Provinces : 

Proclamatmi  by  Wei,  Governor  of  Cheh-kiang. 

In  the  3rd  Moon  of  the  present  year  (April,  1886)  instructions  to  the  follow- 
ing effect  were  received  from  the  Tsung-li  Yamen  : 

"  The  protection  of  Christian  Chinese  being  provided  for  in  the  Treaties, 
and  friendly  relations  having  now  been  re-established  between  China  and  France, 
it  becomes  our  duty  to  draw  attention  to  the  Imperial  Decree  issued  in  the  7th 
Moon  of  the  loth  year  of  Kuang  Hsii  (August,  1884),  which  laid  down  that 
wherever  there  was  a  chapel,  proclamations  should  be  issued  with  a  view  to 
securing  harmony  between  the  people  and  the  converts." 


(      72      ) 

At  the  time  of  the  receipt  of  this  despatch,  T  gave  the  necessary  directions, 
but.  passing  as  they  would  through  many  hands,  there  has  of  course  been 
danger  of  delay  or  error  in  their  execution,  and  a  possibility  of  the  proclamation 
not  having  been  uniformly  promulgated. 

In  respectful  furtherance,  therefore,  of  the  benevolent  intentions  of  the  State, 
I  feel  it  incumbent  on  me  again  to  put  the  matter  in  plain  terms.  Know, 
therefore,  all  men  of  whatsoever  sort  or  condition,  that  the  sole  object  of 
establishing  chapels  of  the  various  nationalities  is  to  exhort  men  to  virtue. 
Those  who  embrace  Christianity  are,  as  before,  Chinese  subjects,  and  both 
converts  and  people  should  peaceably  pursue  their  calling,  and  not  let  mutual 
jealousies  be  the  cause  of  strife  between  them.  If  cases  come  before  the  Courts, 
the  local  authority  should  investigate  thetn  impartially,  having  regard  only  to 
the  merits  of  the  case,  and  not  as  to  whether  the  litigant  is  a  convert  or  not, 
and  should  give  his  decision  quickly.  Thus  neither  party  will  inflict  injury  on 
the  other,  each  will  pursue  in  peace  and  quietude  his  calling,  and  the  desire  of 
the  State,  to  include  in  its  kindly  benevolence  the  men  from  afar  [foreign 
Missionaries]  equally  with  its  own  people,  will  not,  I  trust,  be  frustrated. 

From  the  date  of  this  proclamation,  any  lawless  vagabonds,  who  make 
trouble,  or  stir  up  strife  without  a  cause,  shall  be  punished  with  the  utmost 
rigour  of  the  law.     No  mercy  will  be  shown.     So  beware  ! 

I2th  Year  of  Knani^-Hsii,  qih  Moon,  l6th  Day 
(October  i^th,  1 886). 

It  is  notorious,  that  this  Policy  is  not  the  result  entirely  of 
enlightenment,  or  conviction,  but  of  a  determination  to  free  the 
Empire  from  the  overbearing  claims  of  France  to  be  the  Protector 
of  all  Roman  Catholic  Christians  of  whatever  nationality.  It  was 
proposed  at  first  to  place  their  interest  under  the  protection  of 
the  Pope :  the  French  Government  resisted  this.  The  Emperor 
of  China,  by  declaring  Toleration  of  the  Christian  Religion,  so  long 
as  the  converts  still  re??iained  his  subjects  with  no  change  in  their 
political  status,  cuts  at  the  root  of  the  difficulty  entirely  and  for  all. 
time.  So  "  per  fas  et  nefas  "  I  can  record  a  distinct  progress 
of  Chinese  Policy  in  the  right  direction. 

In  the  comparatively  small  and  unimportant  Kingdom  of  japan 
the  same  results  have  been  arrived  at,  but  in  a  more  sound, 
legitimate,  and  commendable  way.  The  story  of  the  progress  of 
Religious  liberty  in  Japan  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  on  record. 
There  was  no  bloodshed,  no  despatch  of  gunboats,  no  threats, 
or  bullying.  In  i860  the  Missionaries  were  viewed  by  the  Govern- 
ment with  suspicion:  the  people,  though  not  hostile,  were  timid. 
Christianity  was  dreaded  as  a  pestilential  creed,  the  introducers 
of  which  would  bring  manifold  evils  on  the  country.  Spies  watched 
the  Missionaries.  In  i86g  a  conviction  began  to  grow,  that  Pro- 
testantism was  less  harmful  than  either  Roman  Catholicism,  or 
the  Russo-Greek  Church,  but  the  law  against  Christianity  was 
enforced  by  the  authorities.  When  the  new  constitution  of  the 
Empire  was  formed,  new  enactments  were  posted  upon  the 
notice-boards  in  every  town  and  village,  to  the  effect,  that  the 
evil  sect,  called  Christian,  is  strictly  prohibited. 


.(     73     ) 

In  1 873,  all  these  notifications  were  withdrawn  from  the  notice- 
boards  :  but  the  people  were  warned,  that  the  law  was  not 
changed.  The  Central.  Government  had  clearly  adopted  a 
liberal  policy,  but  the  local  officials  were  slow  to  follow,  but 
eventually  all  official  opposition  ceased,  and  Toleration  became 
virtually  complete.  Buildings  for  Christian  worship  of  natives 
began  to  be  erected  :  no  obstacles  were  placed  in  the  way  of 
preaching:  theatres  and  large  buildings  were  made  use  of: 
Christian  literature  was  handed  about  biy  colporteurs. 

In  1884,  less  than  twelve  years  after  the  removal  of  the  Edicts 
from  the  notice-boards,  the  final  step  was  taken,  and  the  top-stone 
of  the  edifice  of  religious  Toleration  laid  by  the  issue  of  notifica- 
tions in  regard  to  registration  and  burial.  Public  Cemeteries 
were  open  to  all.  In  fact,  heathen  Japan  arrived  at  a  level  of 
Christian  liberty  not  yet  fully  attained  in  some  portions  of  so-called 
Christian  Europe,  where  the  Priests  in  the  name  of  their  Religion 
still  lacerate  the  feelings  of  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  in  the 
bitterest  moment  of  their  bereavement.  Thus,  in  Japan,  within 
thirty  years  of  Commodore  Perry's  first  Treaty,  and  twenty-five 
years  of  the  opening  of  the  Ports,  the  last  obstacles  of  Christian 
liberty  were  removed,  and  perfect  religious  equality  was  estab- 
lished, without  any  actual  reference  to  Christianity  by  name  ; 
thus  disarming  all  possible  opposition.  It  must  be  recollected, 
that  the  Representatives  of  Christian  States,  and  Christian 
Churches,  have,  throughout  in  Japan  acted  with  caution  and  self- 
restraint,  and  thus  in  a  perfectly  legitimate  manner,  by  the 
gradual  change  of  public  opinion,  under  the  guidance  of  en- 
lightened Rulers,  by  the  overruling  Grace  of  God,  there  has 
been  secured  for  Japan  perfect  liberty  of  conscience  in  matters 
of  Religion.  Many  ditferent  Missionary  Societies  are  at  work, 
but  a  gradual  consolidation  of  Churches  is  in  progress :  the 
whole  Bible  has  been  translated,  and  perfect  harmony  is 
maintained. 

It  need  scarcely  be  stated,  that  the  whole  of  British  India, 
both  the  dominions  of  Her  Majesty,  and  the  Protected  Inde- 
pendent States,  enjoy  Toleration  in  the  highest  possible  form. 
In  the  despatch  of  the  Secretary  of  State  occurs  the  never-to-be- 
forgotten  passage,  that  "  the  duty  of  doing  unto  others  what  we 
wish  men  to  do  unto  us,  underlies  all  true  Religion."  The  words 
of  the  Victoria  Proclamation  of  November  i,  1858,  which  I 
myself  had  a  part  in  promulgating  in  Northern  India,  run  as 
follows  : 

Firmly  relying  on  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  acknowledging  with  quietude 
the  solace  of  Religion,  We  disclaim  alike  the  Right  and  Desire  to  impose  Our 
convictions  on  any  of  Our  Subjects.  We  declare  it  to  be  Our  Royal  Will  and 
Pleasure,  that  none  be  in  any  wise  favoured,  none  molested,  or  disquieted,  by 
reason  of  their  Religious  Faith,  or  observances  :   but  that  all  shall  alike  enjoy 


(    74    ) 

the  equal  and  impartial  protection  of  the  Law  :  and  We  do  strictly  charge  and 
enjoin  all  those,  who  may  be  in  authority  under  Us,  that  they  abstain  from  all 
interference  with  the  Religious  Belief  or  Worship  of  any  of  Our  Subjects  on 
pain  of  Our  highest  Displeasure. 

And  it  is  Our  further  Will,  that  as  far  as  may  be,  Our  Subjects  of  whatever 
Race  or  Creed  be  freely  and  impartially  admitted  to'offices  in  Our  Service,  the 
Duties  of  which  they  may  be  qualified  by  their  education,  ability,  and  integrity 
duly  to  discharge. 

How  grand  and  knightly  seems  the  image  of  Toleration  thus 
raised  before  the  eyes  of  a  subject  people  by  their  conquerors  in 
the  hour  of  victory  !  How  jealous  we  should  be  of  any  infringe- 
ment of  this  Charter  by  evil  men,  by  Missionary  entliusiasts,  or 
by  despotic  Governments  !  Toleration  means  Toleration  of  every 
form  of  Belief  or  Unbelief:  it  is  impossible  to  draw  any  inter- 
mediate line,  and  to  say,  that  such  and  such  opinions  shall  be 
tolerated,  and  such  and  such  persecuted,  and  that  a  negative 
system  of  persecution  should  be  adopted  of  exclusion  from 
office,  or  denial  of  privilege  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  and 
exploded  forms  of  positive  persecution.  All  are  equally,  hope- 
lessly, radically,  bad,  and  unworthy  of  a  Christian  man,  for  God 
is  a  Spirit  to  be  worshipped  in  spirit  and  truth. 

There  are  other  countries,  like  Persia,  where  Toleration  is 
doubtful :  other  forms  of  belief  are  tolerated,  but  conversion  of 
a  iMahometan  would  be  followed  by  heavy  penalties.  In  Savage 
Countries  Toleration  is  guaranteed  by  no  law,  and  is  capricious : 
however,  very  often  complete  Toleration  is  experienced.  As  a 
rule  the  only  thorough-going  Religious  Persecutors  have  been 
Mahometans  or  Christians. 

The  Missionaries,  who  enjoy  Toleration,  should  be  tolerant  to 
others.  From  want  of  reflection  they  often  forget  this  rul.e. 
They  are  convinced  of  the  truth  of  their  holy  Religion,  and  the 
falseness  of  any  other  view  of  the  matter :  but  so  is  the  Roman 
Catholic,  the  Mahometan,  the  Hindu,  and  even  the  poor  Nature 
worshipper.  In  every  case  the  Missionary  should  reflect  upon 
the  principle  of  doing  unto  others  what  he  would  wish  that  men 
should  do  unto  him,  and  mentally  conjure  up  the  vision  of,  how 
he  would  like  the  measure,  which  he  metes  out  to  others,  to  be 
meted  out  to  himself.  I  need  scarcely  add,  that  there  is  extreme 
political  danger  in  a  departure  from  the  principles  of  Toleration, 
but  I  would  dwell  not  on  the  Danger,  but  on  the  Wrong.  It  is 
"  Malum  per  se"  in  the  strongest  sense.  I  give  some  instances, 
merely  as  illustrations. 

In  a  very  large  sacred  City  in  Upper  India  is  a  Mission,  and 
a  learned  young  Brahinin  had  been,  after  a  great  struggle, 
converted  and  baptized :  his  wife's  family  refused  to  let  her  join 
him :  by  their  law  he  was  de  jure  and  de  facto  divorced.  A 
tumult  about  some  matter  happened  to  arise  in  that  City,  and  I 
went  down  with  troops  to  quell  it :  availing  themselves  of  the 


(    75     ) 

confusion,  some  Members  of  the  Mission  went  to  the  house 
of  the  wife,  and  carried  her  off,  with  her  consent,  and  fortunately 
without  bloodshed.  That  same  evening  I  met  the  Missionary's 
wife  driving  in  a  carriage  with  a  young  girl,  and  she  told  me  who 
she  was,  how  she  had  been  captured,  and  that  she  had  given  her 
at  once  English  food,  and  thus  destroyed  her  caste.  This  seemed 
to  me  contrary  to  all  laws,  human  and  divine :  had  the  parents 
complained,  1  must  have  passed  a  heavy  sentence  upon  the  Mis- 
sionary party,  who  had  invaded  a  Brahmin's  house,  kidnapped 
a  woman,  and  wilfully  destroyed  her  caste.  What  would  they 
have  thought,  if  a  party  of  Mahometans  had  invaded  the  house 
of  a  Missionary,  carried  off  his  little  boy,  and  circumcised  him.^ 
The  poor  little  girl  died  in  childbed  a  few  months  after,  and  the 
husband  still  lives,  but  has  never  married  again. 

How  deeply  the  Christian  Church  still  resents  the  appro- 
priation of  the  Church  of  St.  Sophia  at  Constantinople  to  be  a 
Mosque,  the  Church  at  Damascus  to  the  same  purpose,  and  the 
many  instances  of  the  desecration  of  Christian  places  of  worship 
to  another  Religion  I  And  yet  I  read  of  this  happening  in  the 
centre  of  China  : 

The  whole  body  of  Managers  of  the  Temple,  together  with  the  whole 
body  of  villagers,  deliberating  in  a  public  capacity,  voluntarily  agree  to  make 
over  the  Temple-buildings  to  the  Church  of  Christ,  for  the  purpose  of  fitting  up 
a  meeting-house,  in  order  to  the  public  preaching  of  the  sacred  doctrine,  and 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  public  school,  that  the  youth  of  the  village 
may  become  virtuous,  a  benefit  to  future  generations.  The  whole  is  to  belong 
to  the  Church,  and  subject  to  its  control,  for  a  possession  for  ever,  and  the  land 
belonging  to  the  Temple  is  made  over  to  the  chapel-keeper,  Chu  Sien  k'o,  and 
his  descendants,  to  be  cultivated  as  his  own,  and  the  Church  is  not  at  liberty 
to  sell  the  same. 

The  destruction  of  the  idols  was  to  be  begun  to-day,  and  after  preaching  at 
a  neighbouring  fair  I  went  over  there  to  attend  the  funeral,  for  they  had  decided 
to  bury  them.  The  Chinese  have  a  saying  that  money  can  move  the  gods,  but 
here  were  about  three  score  gods  moved  most  effectively  without  the  expendi- 
ture of  a  cash.  For  when  I  reached  there  about  noon,  I  found  the  work 
finished  and  both  Temples  empty. 

A  long  cavity  was  found  washed  out  by  the  water,  into  which  they  were 
plunged  headlong,  and  thus,  dust  as  they  were,  they  returned  to  dust.  The  idols 
often  cost  enormous  sums,  because  the  clay  is  of  a  peculiar  kind,  the  materials 
expensive,  such  as  oil,  etc.,  especially  the  gilding.  Moreover,  it  is  usual  to 
subscribe  a  certain  amount  of  silver,  which  is  incorporated  in  the  body  of  the 
image,  and  becomes,  perhaps,  his  heart.  In  demolishing  the  gods  their  hearts 
were  not  found  right,  for  in  place  of  the  lungs  of  silver  was  found  pewter. 
Thus  the  delusions  of  idol-worship  were  fitly  typified  in  the  frauds  of  the  idol- 
makers.  They  that  make  them  are  like  unto  them.  It  was  suitable  that  such 
divinities  should  end  their  career  by  sepulture  iu  a  gutter  ! 

A  large  amount  of  lumber  remains,  which,  once  the  platforms  for  the  idols, 
will  now  become  benches  for  our  congregation.  There  are  drums,  candle- 
sticks, incense-holders,  etc.,  and  several  good  bells,  the  largest  of  which  is 
to  be  hung  up. 

In  a  conquered  country  like  India  this  line  of  conduct  would 


(    76    ) 

be  dangerous :  in  China  it  seems  to  be  madness :  but  was  there 
no  other  land  to  be  purchased  ?  were  there  are  no  other  houses 
to  be  occupied  ?  could  no  other  material  be  used  for  the  benches 
of  the  congregation  ?  Surely  a  day  of  reprisals  will  arrive,  and 
who  can  justify  such  conduct  ? 

We  all  know  in  England  of  the  sorrow  caused  in  families, 
when  a  young  boy  or  girl  falls  into  the  clutches  of  a  designing 
Roman  Catholic  Priest,  and  in  spite  of  the  prayers  of  the 
Parents,  is  carried  off  to  a  Convent,  or  Home,  and  the  conduct 
of  the  Priest  is  severely  censured.  Yet  how  often  we  read  of  a  case 
equally  cruel  in  British  India !  It  is  not,  that  a  man  should  not 
give  up  all  for  Christ's  sake,  but  it  is  the  way,  in  which  it  is  done, 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  described  by  some  Missionaries,  that 
indicates  the  entire  absence  of  Christian  Toleration  :  the  parents 
are  spoken  of  unkindly  as  instruments  of  Satan ;  and  it  is  for- 
gotten, that  the  sacred  ties  of  the  family  should,  under  all  circum- 
stances, be  respected.  Christian  men  should  do  Christian  things 
in  a  Christian  manner.  If  the  young  convert  has  Faith,  we 
know  that,  like  the  young  Martyrs  and  Confessors  in  the  early 
Centuries,  he  will  be  supported  in  his  trial.  The  Church  should 
now,  as  then,  offer  prayers  in  behalf  of  such  sufferers  for  Christ's 
sake,  but  the  young  convert  should  be  allowed  to  return  to  his 
home.     The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  can  watch  over  its  own  children. 

I  am  glad  to  note  in  a  Report  of  a  Missionary  Society  in 
India  of  this  year  the  following  wise  words,  and  I  earnestly 
press  them  upon  all  IMissionaries.  It  is  better  to  lose  one  poor 
weak  convert,  than  to  peril  the  good  name  of  Protestant 
Christians  by  adopting  one  of  the  most  evil  practices  of  the 
Romish  Priest,  who  delights  to  work  like  the  mole  under  ground  : 

It  is  extremely  difficult  to  decide  what  is  the  right  course  to  adopt  in  such 
cases.  Our  practice  so  far  has  been  to  require  the  inquirer  to  confess  his 
intention  to  his  parents,  and  thus,  while  taking  care,  that  due  protection  from 
unfair  pressure  or  persecution  should  be  given,  to  insure  that  there  should 
be  no  ground  for  any  charge  of  conceahncnt,  and  that  a  sufficient  test  of  sincerity 
and  earnestness  should  be  applied  to  the  inquirer. 

More  zeal  than  Charity  is  often  manifested,  because  the  Mis- 
sionary forgets,  that  the  Heathen  and  INIahometan  are  men  of 
like  passions  with  ourselves,  neither  better  nor  worse,  and  that 
they  love  their  offspring  as  much  as  we  do.  It  is  a  terrible  time 
for  a  nation,  when  it  is  shaking  off  its  old  Creed,  and  adopting 
a  new  one  ;  when  its  moral  and  religious  system  is  in  the  throes 
and  agonies  of  a  new  birth.  Terrible  is  the  struggle,  through 
which  bold  spirits,  and  tender  hearts,  have  to  pass.  It  seems  so 
simple  to  be  a  Christian,  when  we  arc  born  so,  but,  when  the 
leaven  begins  to  work  in  a  non-Christian  soul,  and  a  wall  of 
separation  is  built  up  between  him  and  the  Past,  when  the  Gods 
of  his  Parents,  and  his  Friends,  are  no  longer  his  Gods,  what 


(    77    ) 

domestic  misery  is  caused  !  On  the  ruins  of  how  many  homes 
were  the  first  altars  of  Christ  raised  ?  Wives  left  their  husbands  : 
old  fathers  cursed  their  sons,  because  they  dared  to  be  wiser 
than  their  Parents.  Sons  waited  till  the  death  of  their  Fathers 
before  they  dared  to  own  Christ.  Old  associations,  old  friend- 
ships, old  greetings  on  the  steps  of  the  Temple,  old  meetings  at 
the  Village-Saturnalia,  sweet  memories  connected  with  the  Past, 
the  Dead,  with  Groves  "on  Hill-tops,  and  happy  days  in  the 
morning  of  their  career,  all  are  swept  away  :•  the  outer  world  loses 
all  its  poetic  imagery  :  the  very  humblest  trembles  at  the  thought 
of  being  cut  off  from  his  kith  and  kin,  at  being  received  with 
a  curse  at  doors,  where,  since  he  was  a  child,  he  was  greeted 
with  blessings,  to  be  pointed  out  in  the  streets  as  a  renegade,  to 
be  nicknamed  as  a  reprobate,  to  be  severed  from  all  he  loves. 
These  are  the  trials,  of  which  the  Missionary  seems  to  make  no 
account :  the  Heathen  and  Mahometan  are  described  as  children 
of  Satan,  and  deserve  no  quarter,  no  pity,  not, even  gentle  words 
of  consolation.  The  tender  Christian  feels  for  his  bitterest 
enemy,  and  would  not  willingly  add  to  the  sorrow  of  his  poor 
fellow-creature. 

I  have  already  alluded  in  full  to  the  want  of  Toleration  shown 
by  the  Missionary  in  matters  of  State  Education,  how  he  would 
wish  to  have  the  Bible  taught  in  Schools  maintained  by  taxation 
of  the  Heathen,  and  Public  Instruction  made  a  Means  of 
Conversion.  There  is  no  chance  of  such  a  policy  being  carried 
out.  A  great  improvement  has  taken  place  in  their  manner  of 
addressing  the  heathen.  Insults  are  no  longer  heaped  upon 
Heathen  Divinities.  Loving  words,  wise  and  gentle  reasonings, 
friendly  discussions,  have  taken  the  place  of  wholesale  and 
foolish  abuse.  I  myself  heard  in  my  youth  a  Missionary  tell  a 
crowd  of  Hindus,  "  that  their  Gods  were  dung,"  and  they 
laughed  at  him,  but  this  was  not  the  way  to  win  their  hearts. 

An  attempt  was  once  made  in  Upper  India  to  introduce  Mis- 
sionaries into  the  Public  Gaols,  to  address  the  Prisoners.  I  was 
strongly  opposed  to  this,  and  it  was  forbidden.  Clearly  prisoners 
in  Gaol  are  not  free  agents,  and  a  Gaol  is  not  the  proper  place 
for  the  preaching  and  teaching  of  the  Gospel  to  the  Heathen. 
What  would  be  thought,  if,  in  a  Mahometan  country,  a  Christian 
prisoner  had  the  horrors  of  confinement  intensified  by  having 
to  listen  to  attempts  to  convert  him  from  his  Faith  }  All  such 
devices  are  contrary  to  Toleration. 

It  is  not  quite  easy  to  find  the  exact  line  to  draw.  A  quarter 
of  a  Century  ago,  when  I  held  high  office  in  the  Panjab,  I  main- 
tained my  right  to  attend  the  baptism  of  Native  converts  at  the 
Mission  Chapel  at  Amritsar,  and  the  Viceroy,  Lord  Canning, 
who  had  called  upon  me  to  explain  my  conduct,  admitted  my 
right.    My  position  was,  that  the  Hindu  and  Mahometan  officials 


(    7S    ) 

made  no  scruples  in  attending  the  ceremonial  of  their  Religions, 
and  I  had  the  same  right.  I  distinctly,  however,  admitted,  that 
it  would  not  be  judicious  in  a  high  official  to  attend  the  baptism 
of  a  converted  Soldier  of  the  Native  Army,  as  entirely  different 
considerations  entered  into  such  a  case.  While  carefully  ob- 
serving my  duty  not  to  interfere  by  my  official  acts  in  the  religious 
affairs  of  any  sect,  I  maintained  my  right  to  attend  on  the  Religious 
ceremonies  of  my  own  Church,  so  long  as  the  public  Service  was 
in  no  way  affected,  or  the  principles  of  Toleration  compromised. 
This  is  now  an  admitted  precedent  for  this  class  of  case. 
Sir  H.  Maine  states  the  principle  clearly: 

We  will  not  force  any  man  to  be  a  Christian  ;  we  will  not  tempt  any  man  to 
be  a  Christian  :  but,  if  he  choose  to  be  a  Christian,  it  would  be  shameful,  if  we 
did  not  apply  to  him,  and  his,  those  principles  of  equal  deahng  between  man 
and  man,  of  which  we  in  India  are  the  sole  depositories. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  Christian  should  firmly  abstain  from  any 
personal  concession  to  a  false  Religion.  The  well-known 
Colonel  Skinner,  in  the  beginning  of  the  century,  built  a  Church, 
a  Mosque,  and  a  Hindu  Temple,  as,  in  fact,  he  had  no  religion  at 
all.  In  India  I  never  knew  of  any  public  officer  condescending 
to  such  a  departure  from  respect  to  his  own  religion,  while  at  the 
same  time,  cold,  but  unsympathetic,  respect  is  always  exhibited 
to  the  Religion  of  the  Natives.  When  the  Viceroy,  Lord 
Canning,  visited  Amritsar,  1  persuaded  him  not  to  place  the 
usual  bag  of  Rupees  on'  the  floor  of  the  great  Temple  of  the 
Sikhs,  but  the  Priests  went  afterwards  to  the  Foreign  Office, 
and  the  money  was  given  them. 

As  time  goes  on,  all  these  official  compliments  to  non- 
Christian  places  of  worship  will  be  discontinued,  or  perhaps 
have  been  so.  They  had  no  religious,  but  only  a  political, 
signification.  It  was  certainly  wrong,  and  contrary  to  a  just  view  of 
Toleration,  to  require  the  Christian  Soldiers  of  the  British  Army 
to  be  drawn  up,  and  salute  the  sacred  carpet,  on  its  road  from 
Cairo  to  INIekka.  This  is  just  the  one  thing,  that  ought  to  have 
been  sternly  resisted.  In  the  French  Colony  of  Algeria  I  re- 
marked with  regret,  that  at  one  place  a  Mosque  had  been  utilized 
for  the  public  Service,  and  at  another  the  Government  had 
erected  a  Mosque  at  the  public  expense.  Here  a  double  error 
was  committed.  I  read  in  the  Letters  of  General  Gordon  at 
Khartum,  published  by  Dr.  Birkbeck  Hill,  that  he  had  a  IMosque 
cleared,  and  repaired,  and  thought  that  it  was  a  great  coup,  and 
he  also  paid  the  expenses  of  the  circumcision  of  a  boy;  I  trust 
that  it  was  not  a  Christian  boy.  Still  in  both  cases  he  com- 
mitted a  grave  error,  which  would  have  cost  him  his  appointment, 
had  he  been  in  India.  In  Egypt  Englishmen  seem  to  forget, 
that  they  are  Christians.  In  British  India  this  is  never 
forgotten.      The  most   thoughtless  always  so  remember  their 


(     79    ) 

early  training,  as  never  to  lend  themselves  to  Non-Christian 
worship. 

It  always  pains  me  to  see  the  idols,  and  objects  of  worship 
of  Heathen  people,  exhibited  for  purposes  of  derision  before  a 
Christian  audience  :  the  poor  people,  who  made  them,  believed 
in  the  existence  of  a  Supernatural  Power,  greater  than  themselves, 
and  tried  to  conciliate  it.  They  felt  after  God,  if  haply  they 
could  find  Him.  They  had  never  the  opportunity  of  knowing 
better.  They  were  not  advanced  in  Arts  or  Science,  but  they 
gave  of  their  best  to  their  God,  and  generation  after  generation 
had  prayed  before  those  symbols  of  Divinity,  returning  thanks 
for  abundant  Harvests,  or  trying  to  appease  anger  in  times  of 
Famine  and  Pestilence.  There  is  nothing  to  laugh  at  in  these 
attempts  of  the  Soul  of  Man,  however  imperfectly,  to  approach 
the  great  Controller  of  human  events.  Some,  perhaps,  of  those, 
who  laugh  at  the  poor  savages'  superstition,  have  arrived  at  the 
more  dangerous  pinnacle  of  human  wisdom,  and  doubt  whether 
a  God  exists  at  all.  Perhaps  through  the  unlimited  mercies  of 
the  Saviour  the  poor  heathen,  who  never  knew  Chtisi,  is  nearer 
Salvation,  than  him,  who  knew  Him,  and  wilfully  dishonoured 
Him  by  rejecting  His  Message. 

I  sum  up  the  result  of  my  experience.  The  Public  Officer 
should  assist  at  no  Heathen  Procession  (unless  he  is  on  duty  to 
keep  the  peace),  he  should  make  no  offerings  at  Heathen 
Temples,  allow  no  garlands,  as  in  old  times,  to  be  placed  round 
his  neck  at  heathen  festivals :  in  no  way  directly,  or  indirectly, 
should  he  allow  himself  to  be  mixed  up  in  the  worship  of  idols  : 
he  should  receive  the  Priests,  if  they  visit  him,  as  subjects  of  Her 
Majesty,  and  very  jolly  fellows  some  of  them  are.  If  he  visits  a 
Temple,  or  Mosque,  on  duty  or  pleasure,  if  requested,  he  should 
take  off  his  shoes,  out  of  respect  to  the  conscience  of  the 
worshippers,  just  as  a  non-Christian  in  Great  Britain  takes  off  his 
hat  in  a  Church.  If  he  lives  in  the  midst  of  the  people  in  daily 
contact,  he  will  do  well  to  abstain  from  beef,  swine's  flesh,  and 
liquor,  not  for  his  own  conscience,  but  for  the  conscience  of 
those,  over  whom  he  wishes  to  exercise  an  influence  for  good. 
He  should  not  be  ashamed  to  be  seen  in  prayer,  but  should  not 
do  so  ostentatiously :  he  should  religiously  observe  the  Sabbath, 
and,  setting  a  watch  over  his  life  and  his  conduct,  walk  before  the 
Mahometan  and  the  Heathen,  as  a  man,  who  fears  and  loves  the 
Lord,  and  loves  his  neighbour  also,  and  this  includes  the  whole 
duty  of  man.  A  good  Hindu  and  good  Mahometan  are  praised 
by  their  neighbours,  and  still  more  a  good  Christian. 

The  Missionary  sometimes  speaks  depreciatingly  of  the  Chris- 
tian, Hindu,  and  Mahometan,  officials,  because  they  will  not  listen 
to  his  short-sighted  and  one-sided  requests.     It  would  be  a  bad 

day,  if  a  weak  Magistrate  were  to  listen  to  them.    An  experienced 


(    So    ) 

Missionary  in  the  Panjab  of  forty  years'  standing  remarked, 
that  he  had  never  once  asked  anything  of  a  Magistrate.  The 
Mahometan  Kadi  would  as  a  matter  of  course  befriend  his  co- 
religionist in  a  suit  before  him,  because  in  his  intolerance  he 
looks  on  the  possessors  of  any  other  religion  as  dogs ;  but  this  is 
just  what  a  British  official  is  charged  not  to  do,  but'  to  maintain 
a  sovereign  disregard  of  the  religious  tenets  of  the  litigants. 
Any  other  policy  engenders  deep  discontent,  and  produces  among 
the  converts  a  crop  of  rare  hypocrites  and  dissemblers.  The 
duty  of  the  authorities  is  to  give  the  Missionaries  a  fair  field,  and 
free  play,  and  to  enforce  equitable  laws,  by  which  crime  is 
defined,  and  rights  are  maintained  of  Freedom  of  Education, 
Freedom  of  Religion,  personal  liberty  of  choice,  and  of  change, 
when  a  certain  age  has  been  obtained  :  till  then  the  patn'a 
potestas  must  be  supported:  and,  when  that  change  has  been  made, 
no  loss  of  property,  or  deprivation  of  rights,  must  follow.  But 
the  peace  of  families  must  not  be  wantonly  disturbed  by  fanatics, 
or  the  sanctity  of  dwelling-houses  invaded  by  intruders :  no 
boycotting  must  be  allowed,  in  the  name  of  Religion  and  INIorality, 
to  interfere  with  the  rights  of  the  humblest  before  God  and 
Man,  whether  the  offender  be  INIahometan,  Hindu  or  Christian. 

The  proper  attitude  of  a  Missionary  is  that  of  pitying  love  to  a 
dying  world,  that  of  a  medical  man  called  in  to  a  patient  suffering 
under  a  desperate  disease  :  there  is  no  room  for  blame,  or  abuse, 
or  threats :  it  is  not  the  fault  of  the  non-Christian,  but  his 
misfortune :  it  is  of  no  use  entering  into  discussions  on  abstract 
questions,  or  quoting  European  authorities,  or  talking  of  the 
greatness  of  Great  Britain  :  if  the  Gospel-message  were  brought 
by  the  Maori  of  New  Zealand,  or  the  Hottentot  of  South  Africa, 
it  would  be  equally  true.  The  converts  should  not  form  a  new 
class  of  citizens,  but  remain  unchanged  in  dress,  language, 
education,  and  lawful  occupation.  The  Christian  Religion 
exhibits  a  code  of  the  highest  Morality.  The  Servant  of  God 
must  not  use  unholy  means  to  attain  holy  ends  :  he  must  not 
steal  into  widows'  houses,  or,  without  the  full  knowledge  of  the 
Parents,  set  about  the  conversion  of  children  in  their  tender 
years :  it  is  better  in  most  cases  to  wait,  till  the  child  is  of  full 
age,  and  give  no  occasion  to  the  enemy  for  imputing  fraud,  or 
temptation,  or  pressure,  or  underhand  methods.  It  must  be 
thoroughly  understood,  that  the  sole  object  of  the  Mission 
School  is  to  effect  conversions,  and  that  the  raison  iVttre  of 
the  Missionary  is  the  same.  Christ's  net  is  spread  over  the 
World  to  catch  Souls,  but  it  is  not  the  night-line  of  the  Poacher: 
it  is  spread  in  midday  under  the  light  of  the  Sun:  "in  Thy 
name.  Lord,  we  will  cast  down  Thy  net." 

July,  1888. 


(     8i     ) 


VII. 

THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE  MISSIONARY. 

First  comes  the  Idea  "  Guilty  Leisure."  Are  there  no  men 
and  women  in  the  Community,  for  whom  God  has  provided  in 
His  bounty  an  Abundance,  or  a  Sufficiency,  and  who  pass 
through  a  long  life  of  ease,  and  health,  who  have  unemployed 
gifts,  who  do  nothing  for  the  Lord,  who  bought  them  ?  This 
is  what  is  meant  by  "Guilty  Leisure."  On  the  Continent  no 
substitutes  are  allowed  to  exempt  from  Military  Conscription. 
Personal  Service  is  required :  there  is  something  more  valuable 
than  Gold  and  Silver,  and  every  Christian  is  bound  to  render 
this  to  the  Home  and  Foreign  Missions,  or  to  both.  How  do 
some  of  our  acquaintances  get  through  their  long  tedious  days, 
sanctified  by  no  labour,  unenlightened  by  any  interest  ?  Have 
they  not  done  what  they  could  ?    And  why  ? 

For  next  comes  the  Idea  "  Inexcusable  Ignorance."  And  yet 
this  is  an  age  of  enlightenment,  and  the  Missionary  Societies 
flood  the  world  with  interesting  information,  but  there  are  some, 
who  will  not  read  them.  The  Sunday  School  is  instructed  in 
the  details  of  St.  Paul's  Missionary  Journeys,  but  knows 
nothing,  or  next  to  nothing,  of  the  great  work  of  the  successors 
of  St.  Paul.  And  yet  the  Reports  of  Missionary  Societies, 
and  their  Periodicals,  are  filled  with  greater  interest  than  the 
most  fascinating  Romance,  and  have  the  advantage,  or  perhaps 
disadvantage,  of  being  true.  Perils  by  Land,  Perils  by  Sea, 
Perils  by  Robbers,  Perils  by  the  Heathen,  Perils  in  the  City, 
Perils  in  the  Wilderness,  Perils  among  False  Brethren :  in 
weariness,  in  painfulness,  in  watchings  often,  in  hunger  and 
thirst :  in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness,  besides  the 
care  of  all  the  Churches :  moving  accidents  by  flood  and  field  ; 
disappointments  and  successes :  triumphs  and  abasements :  all 
these  and  more  are  to  be  found.  As  the  narrative  fiows  on  in 
its  simplicity,  the  narrow  walls  of  the  room  seem  to  expand, 

PART   III.  6 


(     82     ) 

and  the  reader  is  transported  in  thought  to  the  great  cities  of 
Asia,  the  inhospitable  Regions  of  North  America,  the  Islands 
of  Oceania,  and  the  vast  deserts  of  Africa.  There  stands  an 
honest  God-fearing  man,  one  of  the  reader's  own  race  and  kin 
and  language,  sent  out  to  preach  the  Gospel  by  his  Church, 
and  is  he  not  something  in  this  cold,  self-seeking,  material  age, 
to  be  proud  of?  He  has  given  up  the  prospect  of  wealth  and 
honour,  and  ease,  in  his  own  country,  and  has  gone  out  to 
endure  hardship  for  the  sake  of  the  suffering,  the  oppressed, 
and  the  ignorant :  nor  has  he  gone  alone,  for  by  his  side  there 
moves  a  form,  scattering  sweet  flowers  round  his  life  in  those 
God-forsaken  regions,  attracting  to  herself  hearts  by  the  strange 
sight  of  the  Beauty  of  Holiness:  they  call  her  in  their  un- 
tutored accents  an  angel:  he  calls  her,  tvife,  who  like  Ruth  will 
not  leave  him.  Are  such  stories  as  these  not  worth  reading  } 
Is  not  this  "  Inexcusable  Ignorance  "  as  to  the  continuity  of  the 
Missionary  Spirit  from  the  time  of  St.  Paul  to  the  present  hour .? 

In  the  biographies  of  some  great  and  good  men  we  read  a 
notice  of  the  first  conception,  which  dawned  on  his  intellect,  of 
a  great  idea,  with  which  he  afterwards  connected  himself.  In 
the  story  of  a  Missionary's  life  we  read  of  the  first  tale  about 
Missions,  that  fell  into  his  hands.  It  is  because  such  a  form  of 
literature  is  deliberately  shut  out  of  certain  homes,  that  many 
hearts  are  not  touched,  that  to  many  the  opportunity  of  serving 
God  is  not  presented.  A  quarter  of  a  century  ago  there  may 
have  been  an  excuse  for  this.  A  certain  Bishop,  with  doubtful 
good  taste,  a  short  time  ago,  in  the  room  of  a  great  jNIissionary 
Society,  described  the  Missionary  literature  of  his  youth  as  dis- 
tasteful, even  repulsive,  and  "  headaching."  Was  the  fault  with 
the  Bishop's  head  or  heart  ?  My  years  exceed  his,  and  the 
subject  came  upon  me  in  my  youth,  and  admitting,  as  I  do 
freely,  the  great  defects  of  style,  and  tone,  and  the  exaggeration 
of  the  publications  of  that  period,  yet  through  the  imperfect 
human  exterior  I  detected  the  inner  grace.  Whatever  was 
written  about  John  Williams,  or  Carey,  or  Henry  Martyn,  or 
Brainerd,  or  Schwartz,  or  Columba  of  lona,  or  Boniface  of 
Exeter,  or  Xavier,  had  been  written  then.  And  we  seemed  to 
move  in  the  midst  of  men,  who  are  now  counted  as  Ancient 
Heroes,  Duff,  and  Daniel  Wilson,  Morrison,  John  Wilson,  Living- 
stone, Krapf,  and  many  others. 

My  hearty  desire  is,  that  the  youth  of  England  should  be  as 
much  instructed  in  the  lives  of  the  great  Missionaries  of  the 
present  Century,  as  of  the  great  Statesmen  and  Warriors  of  the 
past ;  that  in  their  study  of  Geography  there  should  be  not  only 
the  Physical,  the  Political,  the  Ethnological,  the  Linguistic,  but 
also  the  Evangelistic  branch  of  that  great  Science.  It  would 
be  but  an  imperfect  description  of  great  Regions,  if  no  allusion 


(     83     ) 

were  made  to  the  good  men,  under  whose  guidance  these  savage 
inhabitants  passed  from  a  state  approaching  to  that  of  wild 
animals  into  the  ranks  of  Civilized  Man. 

My  object  at  present  is  limited  to  the  literary  wants  of  the 
IMissionaries.  The  narrowness  of  their  vision  in  some  matters 
is  distressing.  By  the  necessity  of  the  case  they  belong  to  one 
Denomination  of  Religious  thought,  they  acquire  one  or  two 
local  languages,  and  settle  down  for  the  term  of  their  lives  in 
the  midst  of  one  circumscribed  Region,  one  people,  one  phase 
of  human  development  and  weaknesses, ,  one  method  of  work, 
and  one  groove  of  ideas.  They  fail  in  universal  sympathy,  except 
in  a  most  general  way.  If  in  a  friendly  way  they  meet  men  of 
other  denominations,  the  process  of  levelling  down,  and  the 
pressure  of  the  same  environment,  the  similarity  of  the  manner 
of  looking  at  the  same  phenomena,  prevents  all  enlightenment. 
The  labour  of  the  Missionary  is  heavy,  his  health  is  uncertain, 
the  time  of  life,  when  he  leaves  Great  Britain,  is  very  youthful, 
all  previous  experience  is  non  existing ;  visits  to  his  native 
country  are  brief,  and  a  whirl  of  employment.  All  these  are 
impediments  against  his  mastering  the  great  principles,  which 
underlie  the  exercise  of  his  noble  calling,  the  Saving  of  Souls. 
In  no  other  way  can  I  explain  the  density  of  the  vision  of 
Missionaries,  their  persistency  in  the  same  error,  their  appealing 
to  each  other  as  authorities  for  the  same  fallacy.  "Every 
Missionary  is  agreed  upon  this  subject,"  some  one  said  lately 
upon  an  Exeter  Hall  Platform.  So  much  the  worse  for  the 
subject,  for  it  has  never  been  fairly  thrashed  out  in  all  its  bear- 
ings. "We  are  assembled  here,  not  to  discuss,  but  to  denounce," 
said  a  fanatical  and  one-sided  Chairman  in  a  meeting  of  packed 
enthusiasts,  got  together  by  tickets  to  pass  a  Resolution,  only  fit 
to  supply  paper  to  ignite  the  fires  of  the  Government-office,  to 
which  it  was  presented,  in  which  operation  light  for  the  first 
time  would  be  let  into  the  matter,  obscured  by  prejudice,  and 
distorted  by  exaggeration. 

In  new  Missions,  and  new  Missionary  Societies,  over  and  over 
again  we  notice  the  same  errors  of  practice,  the  same  exploded 
methods,  the  same  cant-phrases  to  conceal  ignorance.  Then 
new  forms  of  error  spring  up,  notably  those,  which  disfigure  the 
last  crop  of  German  Missions,  exclusion  of  other  Nationalities 
than  that  of  the  Ruling  Power,  leaning  upon  the  help  of  the 
Civil  Government,  blending  the  incompatible  duties  of  Pastor  to 
a  Christian  community,  and  Evangelist  to  Non-Christian  races  ; 
attempts  to  associate  Commerce,  Emigration,  Agriculture,  and 
Manufacture  with  pure  Gospel-teaching,  forcing  an  alien 
language  of  the  Conqueror  on  an  Asiatic  or  African  people  :  all 
these  miserable  errors  have  been  combated,  abandoned  and  con- 
demned in  old  Missions ;    but  like  the  measles  and  whooping 


(     84    ) 

cough  re-appear  in  infant  enterprizes.  We  seem  working  in  a 
blind  circle,  and  the  world  is  never  growing  wiser. 

A  Century  of  Missions  should  have  taught  us  some  principles, 
mid  has  taught  us,  if  we  have  but  Grace  to  accept  the  teaching, 
and  communicate  it  to  the  men  in  the  field :  and  this  is  the 
object  of  my  remarks. 

In  Missionary  Colleges,  encouragement  and  opportunity 
should  be  given  to  the  Student  to  inform  himself  as  to  the 
progress  of  the  Gospel-Warfare  all  over  the  world  :  there  should 
be  no  sneering  at,  and  shelving,  the  work  of  particular  denomina- 
tions :  no  blind  worshipping  of  particular  Schools,  headed  by 
noisy,  self-confident,  and  self-asserting,  men.  If  it  be  not  possible 
to  have  a  course  of  lectures  on  the  Science  of  jNIissions  in  its 
many-sided  aspect,  at  least.  Missionaries  on  leave  should  detail 
in  full  in  isolated  lectures  their  own  methods,  pointing  out 
faithfully  the  merits  and  shortcomings,  and  warning  the  hearers, 
that  these  are  only  the  methods  of  particular  fields,  not,  like  the 
Bible,  the  accepted  and  revealed  Truth  in  all  Fields.  In  their 
private  room  Missionary  Students  should  study  the  lives  of 
illustrious  Missionaries,  and  the  periodical  Reports. 

The  first  bit  of  property  of  a  Missionary  should  be  a  substan- 
tial blank  Note  Book  of  goodly  size,  entitled  : 

NotantJa,  Clueercnlia,  SLegentja,  Fibcnlia,  Fisnitia,  Uitatttia. 

And  he  should  go  nowhere  without  his  book.  In  it  personal 
adventures,  and  spiritual  meditations,  should  find  no  place,  but 
an  inquiring  spirit,  wholly  dedicated  to  the  task  of  Gospel- 
preaching,  will  find,  that  each  day  in  his  reading,  in  his  conversa- 
tion, in  his  thoughts  and  prayers,  something  will  come  to  his 
observation,  his  memory,  his  mind,  and  his  soul,  which  deserves' 
noticing :  some  difficulty  will  arise,  which  will  require  solving : 
some  book  will  be  suggested,  which  requires  reading  :  some 
object  or  place  will  be  mentioned,  which  he  may  desire  to  see, 
or  visit,  if  occasion  may  offer  :  some  error  may  be  brought  home, 
which  must  be  avoided.  If  he  keep  such  a  book,  and  refer  to  it 
continually,  he  will  find  his  information  much  increased,  and 
the  pages  of  such  a  book  should  be  numbered,  and  dated,  and 
an  Index  kept  up  to  date.  Now,  if  he  meet  a  friend,  who  has 
kept  such  a  Note  Book,  how  grateful  and  profitable  will  be  the 
interchange  of  knowledge,  the  solution  of  difficulties,  the  opening 
out  of  new  trains  of  thought.  What  more  precious  legacy  could 
an  aged  servant  of  God  leave  to  a  young  friend  than  such  a 
record  }  The  narrative  of  admitted,  or  obvious,  failures  is  quite 
as  instructive  as  the  vaunted  success,  because  it  has  the  merit  of 
truth,  and  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  glorified  official  Report, 
where  everything  is  tinted  rose-colour,  and  all  disagreeable 
matter  omitted.     The  very  doubting  adhesion  of  a  wise  man 


(    85     ) 

becomes  the  conviction  of  the  less  gifted.  Men  engaged  in 
secular  matters  have  found  the  advantage  of  such  a  silent 
monitor,  as  it  tends  to  produce  order  in  the  chambers  of  the 
Memory,  and  supplies  thie  means  to  strengthen  the  judgment, 
and  to  point  argument  by  apt  illustrations. 

Each  great  Missionary  Station,  and  each  cluster  of  smaller 
Stations,  as  well  as  all  Training  Colleges,  should  be  supplied 
with  Missionary  Literature,  of  the  following  kinds. 

The  current  periodicals  of  all  the  great  Missionary  Societies 
of  Great  Britain  and  America  should,  by  courtesy,  be  supplied 
to  them  direct,  and  should  be  read,  and  an  interest  aroused  and 
kept  alive  in  other  fields  than  the  reader's  own  particular  one. 
It  will  not  only  strengthen  the  judgment,  and  enlarge  the 
Charity,  but  it  will  sustain  drooping  Faith,  it  will  fill  the  hearts 
of  faithful  men  with  conviction  of  their  great  Duty,  thanksgiving 
to  God  for  His  unfailing  help,  and  love  to  their  fellow-workmen, 
and  the  poor  Heathen.  Deep  calls  to  Deep,  praising  the  Lord, 
as  the  resident  in  India  or  China  reads  with  joy  the  unobtrusive 
labours  of  the  Moravians  at  Labrador,  or  the  battle  with  the  cold 
in  North  America,  and  the  fierce  heats  in  Africa :  awhile  with 
bated  breath  he  reads  the  story  of  Hannington  on  Victoria 
Nyanza,  of  Selwyn  in  Melanesia,  of  Chalmers  in  New  Guinea, 
of  Bentley  and  Grenfell  on  the  Kongo,  of  Johnson  on  the 
Nyassa,  and  the  Lone  Star  Mission  of  South  America.  Men 
and  Women  in  India  and  China  live  in  comfortable  Bungalows, 
with  all  the  appliances  of  civilization,  but  they  will  with  profit 
read  of  the  peril,  the  nights  of  watching,  the  sufferings,  the 
hungerings,  the  insults,  which  are  joyfully  borne  by  the  Servants 
of  the  Cross.  All  the  surroundings  of  the  far-off  Missions  differ, 
the  methods,  the  languages,  the  degree  of  culture,  the  degree  of 
temperature;  but  one  golden  thread  twines  through  the  whole 
tapestry,  of  various  patterns,  but  woven  with  the  same  woof,  the 
suffering  of  Christ,  the  Salvation  of  His  creatures,  and  the 
Struggle  for  Holiness.  From  the  Pulpit  they  will  tell  their 
Indian  or  Chinese  converts  of  other  worlds,  but  the  same  Saviour, 
of  other  servants  occupied  in  the  same  service,  for  the  same  King, 
linked  to  them  by  a  tie  dearer  than  that  of  Nationality,  or 
Language,  or  Customs,  viz.  of  Faith  in  One  able  to  save. 

Another  advantage  would  be  that  the  unlimited  querulousness, 
and  arrogant  bearing,  of  many  of  the  Missionaries  in  India  and 
China,  would  be  shamed  into  reason  by  the  thought  of  what 
their  less  favoured  brethren  are  undergoing.  It  would  do  a 
Chinese  Missionary  a  world  of  good  to  have  three  years  in 
Equatorial  Africa,  or  on  the  Niger  amidst  Cannibals,  with 
Human  Sacrifices :  with  lawlessness  of  the  petty  chief,  with 
attacks  of  Marauders,  and  Slave-dealers:  the  miserable  accom- 
modation,   the    solitude,    the   climate,    the   despondency.      He 


(    86    ) 

would  return  back  to  his  decent  way  of  life  and  comfortable 
quarters,  among  people  in  Asiatic  civilization,  a  sadder  and 
wiser  man.  Our  friends  in  their  comparatively  easy  life  (and 
I  speak  as  one,  who  spent  twenty-five  years  in  India,  in  the 
interior,  among  the  people  in  war  and  peace)  forget  that  here 
in  Great  Britain  we  have  Reports  from  Missionaries  in  every 
part  of  the  world,  and  are  able  to  form  comparisons. 

The  next  division  of  the  Library  should  be  Missionary 
Biographies,  the  silent  voice  of  the  dead,  which  still  speaks, 
calling  up  the  forms  of  ancient  men,  who  did  their  duty,  and  are 
now  entered  into  their  Rest,  the  Sufferers  for  the  Cross,  who  have 
now  inherited  the  Crown.  Every  Missionary  should  be  thoroughly 
informed  in  this  class  of  Literature.  The  names  are  too  many 
to  enumerate,  but  the  selection  should  be  impartial,  and  varied. 
Such  books  have  a  peculiar  fascination,  and  are  full  of  lessons  to 
those,  who  come  after,  and  know  how  to  be  taught.  The  figures, 
which  pass  before  us  are  no  lay  figures.  Adoniram  Judson,  and 
his  three  holy  wives,  are  no  creatures  of  the  fancy.  Carey, 
Patteson,  Allen  Gardiner,  Saker,  and  Livingstone  were  real  men, 
M'hose  hands  we  have  touched,  whose  words  we  have  listened  to, 
and  yet  who  stand  out,  and  speak  to  us  with  the  same  power  and 
solemnity,  as  Roman  Heroes,  or  Christian  Saints.  How  can  the 
young  Missionary  feed  his  soul  with  high  resolve,  how  can  he 
realize  the  Poetry,  the  romantic  beauty,  the  exalted  Spirituality, 
of  his  calling,  unless  he  reads  such  books  as  these,  and  others  of 
the  same  stamp,  and  reads  with  prayer  to  be  like  them,  in  their 
lives,  and  in  their  deaths.  It  gives  a  reality  to  his  high  office  to 
feel,  that  he  is  one  of  a  great  Army,  part  of  which  has  crossed 
the  flood,  and  that  he  must  tread  in  the  footprints  of  his  pre- 
decessors, and  of  One  greater  than  they,  if  he  wishes  to  do  aught 
in  this  world,  or  attain  aught  in  the  next.  When  Missionaries 
fall  to  the  dead  level  of  ordinary  life,  and  waste  their  time  in 
squabbles  with  each  other,  or  meddling  in  mundane  politics, 
and  commerce,  they  cease  to  have  the  power  of  winning  souls. 
They  should  hold  themselves  always,  as  Soldiers  do  on  the  eve 
of  a  grand  battle,  and  in  humble  pride  venture  on  the  thought, 
that  perhaps,  if  they  fall  nobly,  their  lives  will  be  written  to 
remain  hereafter,  and  establish  the  hearts  of  generations  of 
Missionaries  still  to  be  born. 

In  the  third  class  comes  a  great  miscellaneous  collection  of 
Books,  which  will  vary  in  each  Country,  and  each  Nationality, 
and  each  Mission-Field.  It  is  impossible  to  prepare  a  complete 
list.  I  only  subjoin  a  list  of  some  which  may  be  useful,  and 
encourage  the  Missionary  to  prepare  a  list  in  each  Field  for  his 
contemporaries,  and  those  who  come  after  him,  and  have  pages 
set  apart  for  them  in  his  Note  Book. 


(    8;    ) 


Books  for  a  Missionary  Library. 

A.  The   periodicals  and  Annual  Reports  of  all  the  great  Mis- 

sionary Societies  of  all  Denominations  of  all  Nationalities. 

B.  Missionary  Biographies  carefully  selected,  so  as  to  represent 

all    types,    all     methods,    all    characters,    all    periods    of 
Christianity,'  and  both  sexes. 

C.  Miscellaneous. 

[a.)  Statistical. 

Dr.  George  Smith.     History  of  Christian  Missions.     2nd  Edition,  18S7. 

Professor  Christlieb.     I'oreign  Missions  of  Protestantism,   1880. 

Rev.  J.   Storrow.     Protestant  Missions  in  Pagan- Lands,   1888. 

Handbook  to  Foreign  Missions.     Religious  Tract  Society,  1888. 

Dr.  Murray  Mitchell.    Foreign  Missions  of  the  Protestant  Church,  1888. 

Dr.  Grunderman.     Kleiner  Mission  Atlas.     2nd  Edition,  1886. 

W.  F.  Bainbridge.    Around  the  World  of  Christian  Missions.    New  York. 


(3.)  Descriptive. 

Evangelization  of  the  World.     China's  Inland  Mission,  1888. 
Sir  Bartle  Frere.     Indian  Missions,  1873. 
Report  of  Proceedings  of  Mildmay  Missionary  Conference,  1878. 
Dr.  T.  Smith  Duff.     Medical  Missions.     Lecture.     1880. 
Bishop  of  Ossory.     Heroes  of  Mission  Field,  1887. 

Missionary   Church   of    England.      Six   Sermons   by   Selected    Preachers. 
S.P.C.K.,  1887. 
Rev.  M.  a.  Sherring.     Trident,  Crescent,  and  Cross,  1876. 
Rev.  T.  Phillips.     Missionary  Vade  Meciim.     Calcutta,  1847. 
The  Ely- Volume,  New  York.     Missions  and  Science. 
Rev.  James  Johnston.     Century  of  Missions. 
Rev.  J.  Carlyle.     South  African  Missions. 
Rev.  Dr.  A.  Thompson.     Moravian  Missions.     New  York. 
Rev.  Dr.  Pearson.     Crisis  of  Missions.     London,  1887. 


(c.)  Reviews. 

Missionary  Review  of  the  whole  World.     New  York,  1888. 

Church  Work,  late  Mission  Life.     London. 

Several  Local  Reviews  of  great  value  in  India,  China,  and  elsewhere. 


(     88     ) 

{d.)  Historical. 

Descriptions  of  Particular  Fields  of  Missions,  specially  prepared  by  each 
Missionary  Society,  and  of  extreme  value. 


False  Religions. 

Dr.  John  Wilson.    Experience  of  Hinduism.     Bombay.     Hindi. 

Mr.  Pearce.     "True  Refuge."     Dialogue  on  Hindu  Religion.     Hindi. 

Rev.  McMullen.    Religious  Aspect  of  Hindu  Philosophy,     i860. 

Rev.    Krishna  Mohun  Banerjea.      Dialogues  of  Hindu  Philosophy. 
Calcutta. 

Rev.  Nehemiah  Goreh.     Rational  Refutation  of  the  Hindu  Philosophical 
System.     Calcutta,  1862. 

Sir  M.  Monier-Williams.    Indian  Wisdom. 
Hinduism,  Islam,  Buddhism.    S.  P.  C.  K. 
Sir  W.  Muir.     Life  of  Mahomet,  The  Koran,  etc.,  etc. 
Dr.  Murdock.     Indian  Missionary  Manual,  1870. 

Prof.  Max  Muller.     Outline  Dictionary  for  Reading  Vernacular  Words. 
.  Hardy.     On  Buddhism. 
And  many  others. 


STEPHE.N   AUSTl.N   ANU   SONS,   PRINTERS,   UERTFORU. 


^otes  on  :0ltsstonar^  Subjects. 

part  W, 

MISSIONARY   ADDRESSES, 
PICTURES  AND  NOTICES. 


MISSIONARY  HEROES  IN  AFRICA. II.    NATIVE  TEACHERS  IN   POLYNESIA. 

III.     THE    DUTY   OF    THE   YOUTH    OF    GREAT    BRITAIN. IV.    THE 

HERO-MISSIONARY,  AND    HEROIC    MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. V.    THE 

FEMALE     EVANGELIST. VI.     THE    NATIVE     CHURCH     IN     INDIA. 

VII.      THE    CHRISTIAN    SOLDIER. VIII.      OBITUARY    NOTICE     OF    A 

DEAR    YOUNG     FRIEND.  IX.      EXETER     HALL,     MAY     1,     1888.  

X.    A  WORD   TO    THOSE,    WHO    DO    NOT    RECOGNIZE   THE    DIVINELY 

IMPOSED     DUTY     OF     EVANGELIZATION. XI.     THOUGHTS    ON     THE 

METHODS   OF   EVANGELIZATION. 


ROBERT   NEEDHAM   CUST,   LL.D., 

LATE    MEMBER    OF    H.M.    INDIAN    CIVIL    SERVICE,    MEMBER    OF    COMMITTEES    OF    BRITISH    AND 

FOREIGN  BIBLF.  SOCIETV  AND  CHURCH  "MISSIONARY  SOCIETY,    MEMBER  OF    TRANSLATION 

COMMITTEE      OF      SOCIETY      FOR      PROMOTING      CHRISTIAN      KNOWLEDGE, 

INCORPORATED    MEMBER     OF     SOCIETY     FOR     THE     PROPAGATION 

OF  THE   GOSPEL,   AND   HONORARY    SECRETARY    OF    THE 

ROYAL   ASIATIC   SOCIETY. 


LONDON : 
ELLIOT   STOCK,   62,   PATERNOSTER   ROW. 

1888. 
All  Ris^hts  Reserved. 


HERTFORD : 

PRINTED    BY   STEPHEN   AUSTIN   AND   SONS. 


Eo  t'jc  fttcmori'cs  of 

THOSE,    WHO    TAUGHT  ME  MY  LESSON, 

AND  SET  ME    THE  EXAMPLE    OF  DEVOTION 

TO    THE    CAUSE   OF  MISSIONS, 

IN  ITS  HIGHEST  AND  HOLIEST  SENSE  OF 

PREACHING  THE  GOSPEL  TO  THE  NON-CHRISTIAN  WORLD." 

DANIEL  WILSON,    BISHOP   OF   CALCUTTA,    INDIA, 

JAMES    THOMASON,     LIEUT. -GOVERNOR    OF    THE     NORTH-WEST 
PROVINCES,    INDIA. 

JOHN    LAWRENCE,    VICEROY    OF    INDIA. 

BARTLE    FRERE,    GOVERNOR    OF    BOMBAY,    INDIA. 

HERBERT    EDWARDES,    COMMISSIONER    OF   PESHAWAR,    INDIA. 
MY  GUIDES,    AND   MY  FRIENDS, 
THIS    VOLUME   IS 

©Etiiratcli. 


PREFACE   TO    PART    IV. 


I  CANNOT  imagine,  that  my  Addresses  will  stand  com- 
parison with  the  learned  compositions  of  ordained  men, 
familiar  with  the  art  of  addressing  assemblies.  My 
life  has  been  one  of  action,  not  of  preaching,  more 
in  the  saddle  than  in  the  pulpit :  a  layman's  utterances 
perhaps  have  more  freshness,  eccentric  variety,  and 
daring  novelty :    at  any  rate  they  come  from  the  heart. 

They  have  been  composed  in  the  omnibus,  the  railway- 
train,  the  waking  hours  of  the  night  ;  just  as  the 
ideas  surged  up  in  the  brain,  they  have  been  jotted 
down  in  the  note-book.  Sometimes  in  a  crowded 
room  the  idea  has  come,  and  has  been  noted  down. 
I  could  not  write  a  line,  if  a  man  stood  over  me 
with  a  stick,  or  if  I  were  shut  into  my  study  on 
Saturday  afternoons  to  compose  my  Sunday-sermon, 
A  word  uttered  in  my  hearing,  a  line  in  a  newspaper, 
an  expression  in  a  book,  has  set  a  train  of  thought 
into  motion,  and  copious  extracts,  the  result  of  omni- 
vorous  reading,    has    supplied    the    subject   and    matter. 

My  reward  has  been,  that  some  Addresses  have  been 
reprinted  by  Associations,  so  different  as  the  S.  P.  G. 
and  China  Inland  :    letters  have  come  to  me  with  thanks 


(      X      ) 

from  inmates  of  High  Church  Training  Colleges, 
and  Baptist  Missionaries  on  the  Kongo :  passages  have 
been  quoted  in  such  different  organs  as  the  Quarterly 
Review,  and  Regions  beyond,  and  by  speakers  on 
platforms  of  different  denominations.  Some  Addresses 
have  been  translated  into  other  languages.  Men  have 
told  me,  that  they  have  found  them  of  use  to  them 
in  addresses,  which  they  had  to  give :  this  by  itself 
is   a   sufficient   reward. 

My  method  has  been  a  simple  one,  to  break  from 
the  conventional  formula,  sink  the  denomination,  or 
stereotyped  surroundings,  and  describe  the  grandeur  of 
the  object  in  view,  the  simplicity  of  the  message, 
"  Nothing  but  Christ ; "  the  necessity  laid  upon  us  of 
this  generation  ;  the  happiness  of  those,  who  have  dis- 
covered this  great  secret  of  life  ;  the  misfortune  of  those, 
who  neglect  the  opportunity,  or  find  it  out  too  late. 
These  considerations  come  home  specially  to  those, 
whose  lives  have  been  miraculously  spared  during  a 
long  residence  amidst  the  non-Christian  world.  What 
can  they  render  unto  the  Lord  for  His  mercies,  if  they 
neglect  this  manifest  service  .•*  Why  were  their  lives 
spared,  if  not  for  this  purpose  ?  What  reply  will  they 
have  to  give  to  their  Master  for  talents  misapplied,  or 
hidden    in    a   napkin. 


-;,^) 


IN  MEMORIAM 


OF 


T 

^w  -^^yl  -^v 

-^^  MISSIONARIES  WHO  DIED  IN  AFRICA;^ 

^^^^ 

L 

1509 

I63J 

1503                              W?  BECKLEY 

M'J  DAVIES 

^ 

JCTRASS7. 

I.BATES 

C  JCFFERIRS                        1623 

161^5 

l^liO 

153+ 

i5ft5                       ■  mi.sYrn 

■    MULLER 

JC.nAR>T.ia 

J0V.-1LHELM 

J. Taylor                   ■  vauciian 

1650 

1«I3 

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•■    Van  COOTEN 

aMF.YER 

1.-.36 

1675                                 ■    SCHEMEt 

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laii 

J  H  KffOTH 

D.S.riEMINCTON                1625 

HAMMOND 

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1656 

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1677                                  CERBER 

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16M 

J.SMITH                               1626 

■     HARRISON 

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J  REYNOLDS 

J.B.READ                                BETTS 

MILWARD 

1516 

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C.S. SMITH                       •      SCHOLDINO 

1861 

CJOST 

N  C  HaaSTRDP 

TONEILL                             1629 

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1530 

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J.nOCCKS 

T.wilxnXON 

MISS  BOUFFLER               •■    SCHMIDT 

"NtlTlltR  CWNT  I  MY  LIFE  DEAR  UNTO  MYSELF.  SO  THAT  1  MIGHT  FINISH  MY  COURSE  WITH  J0Y."ArT.XX.2i. 

EX  VOTO   ROBERTI  N.  CUST 

SF.RVI    SERVORUM  ANNO  JUB1L,£1 

MIXCCLXXXVIL. 

• 

l-l 

• 

In  the  year  of  the  Jubilee  I  placed  on  the  walls  of  the  Church  Mission  House,  Salisbury 
Square,  a  brass  tablet  to  record  the  names  of  those  holy  men  and  women,  who  in  the  cause 
of  Christ  and  His  Gospel  found  graves  in  Africa.  Many  more  died  on  their  passage  home, 
and  were  committed  to  the  deep.  Many  more  reached  their  Native  land  only  to  die.  It 
seemed  hard  that  the  names  of  those,  who  had  done  what  they  could,  should  be  forgotten. 
The  idea  was  suggested  to  me  in  a  visit,  which  1  paid  to  Sebastopol :  on  the  walls  of  the 
French  Mausoleum  the  names  of  all  officers  and  private  soldiers,  who  fell,  are  inscribed 
in  their  companies  and  battalions.  Among  the  latest  discoveries  at  Athens  is  the  original 
stone  placed  to  record  the  names  of  those  brave  men,  who  fell  at  Platsea  centuries  before 
the  Christian  era.  Such  records  are  a  consolation  to  the  relatives  of  those  who  have  fallen, 
and  an  incentive  to  the  young  to  tread  in  their  footsteps.  "  Go,  soldier  of  Christ,  and  do 
as  thev  have  done." 


MISSIONARY  HEROES  IN  AFRICA. 

The  Lord  said  unto  me:  Say  not,  I  am  a  child,  for  thou  shalt  go  to  all  that 
I  shall  send  thee,  and  whatsoever  I  shall  command  thee,  thou  shalt  speak. — 
Jeremiah  i.  7. 

My  subject  on  this  occasion  is  not  so  much  Africa,  its  people, 
its  customs,  and  its  misfortunes,  as  the  Christian  pioneers  and 
their  worlv,  and  to  this  I  restrict  myself.  The  Missionaries 
cannot  speak  of  themselves  ;  it  is  the  last  thing  that  they  would 
wish  to  touch  upon,  except  to  describe  their  shortcomings. 
A  particular  Church  or  Society  cannot  speak  of  the  whole 
class  fairly,  as  of  some  they  know  too  much,  and  of  others 
nothing  at  all.  We  see  them  in  the  Committee-room,  when  they 
are  young  and  ardent  for  the  fight,  scarcely  knowing  the  diffi- 
culties, with  which  they  have  to  contend.  We  see  them  a  few 
years  on  more  thoughtful,  more  subdued  and  chastened,  yet  not 
less  earnest ;  we  see  them  still  later  on,  broken  down,  unequal 
for  further  service  in  the  field,  yet  still  longing  to  laugh  at  the 
doctor,  and  go  back  to  their  life's  work.  Some  we  never  see 
again,  for  they  remain  where  they  fell.  Many  of  them  are  men 
of  high  talent,  who  in  secular  professions  might  have  achieved 
wealth  and  fame,  or  in  the  Home-Church  might  have  risen  to 
dignity  and  influence,  but,  smitten  with  the  wondrous  love  of 
saving  the  souls  of  the  Heathen,  they  have  gone  forth,  and  fresh 
candidates  for  the  holy  office  are  never  wanting.  What  is  their 
motive  ?  A  simple  faith  in  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  who  bought 
them.  Wishing  that  my  hearers  may  carry  away  something,  that 
may  cling  to  their  memory,  I  ask  them  to  think  of  the  famous 
eleventh  chapter  of  St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  in  which 
he  traces  back  to  Faith  all  the  great  events  in  the  history  of 
Israel,  and  I  ask  leave  reverently  to  adapt  his  argument  to  the 
history  of  the  pioneers  of  African  Missions. 

By  Faith  the  United  Moravian  Brethren  at  Herrnhut  in 
Germany,  more  than  a  century  and  a  half  ago,  were  stirred  up 


CO 

to  send  out  a  Missionary  to  the  poor  Hottentots,  who  were 
treated  as  dogs  by  the  Dutch  colonists.  By  Faith  George 
Schmidt  at  once  offered  himself  to  go  out,  and  suffered  hard- 
ship with  a  persecuted  race,  and,  having  been  blessed  by  the 
conversion  of  a  few,  was  forbidden  to  baptize  them,  and  sum- 
marily sent  back  to  Europe  by  men,  who  called  themselves 
Protestants,  and  who  were  jealous  of  their  own  liberty.  By 
Faith,  fifty  years  later  (1792),  the  United  Brethren  sent  out  three 
more  Missionaries,  who  founded  the  illustrious  Mission  of 
Genadendal,  or  Vale  of  Grace,  on  the  very  walls  of  the  ruined 
house  of  George  Schmidt,  seven  years  after  the  great  Patriarch 
of  African  Missions  had  been  called  to  his  reward,  dying,  like 
Livingstone  and  Krapf,  on  his  knees. 

By  Faith  the  London,  and  Wesleyan,  Societies,  the  Established 
Church  of  England,  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland,  and  the 
American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  took  up  a  share  in  the 
blessed  work  amidst  other  races  of  South  Africa,  and  out  of 
their  ranks  by  Faith  Moffat  undertook  to  translate  the  Bible  into 
the  language  of  the  Be-Chuana,  Wilder  into  the  language  of 
the  Zulu,  and  Boyce,  Appleyard,  and  others,  into  the  language 
of  the  Ama-Xosa,  or  Kafir ;  languages  deemed  at  the  time  to 
be  incapable  of  expressing  simple  ideas,  but  which,  deftly 
handled,  proved  to  be  apt  exponents  of  every  variety  of  human 
thought,  with  an  unlimited  vocabulary,  and  an  unsurpassed 
symmetry  of  structure. 

By  Faith  Moffat's  son-in-law,  Livingstone,  abandoned  his 
home,  his  chapel,  and  his  school,  and  started  off  on  his  great 
]\Iissionary  progress,  which  was  destined  to  illuminate  all  Africa 
South  of  the  Equator.  By  Faith  he  bore  up  under  the  perils, 
the  fatigues,  the  opposition,  and  the  bereavement  of  his  dear 
wife,  who  sleeps  on  the  shore  of  the  Zambesi.  By  Faith  he 
worked  his  way  to  Benguela,  on  the  West  coast,  Kilimani  on  the 
East,  and  Nyangw^  on  the  River  Kongo  to  the  North,  discover- 
ing new  rivers,  new  lakes,  new  tribes,  and  new  languages.  From 
the  drops  of  sweat,  which  fell  from  his  limbs  in  those  great 
travels,  have  sprung  up,  like  flowers,  Christian  Missions,  founded 
by  men  of  different  denominations,  and  different  views  of  Church- 
government,  but  united  in  the  fear  of  God,  the  faith  in  Christ, 
love  of  Africa,  and  veneration  for  Livingstone.  To  the  impulse, 
given  by  this  great  Apostle,  must  be  attributed  the  INIissions  of 
the  Established  Church  of  Scotland  at  Blantyre,  the  Free  Church 
of  Scotland  at  Livingstonia,  the  London  Society  on  Lake  Tan- 
ganyika, and  the  Universities  Mission  at  Zanzibar.  To  these 
must  be  added  the  Missions  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  In  an 
interview  which  some  years  ago  I  had  at  Tunis  with  Cardinal 
Lavigerie,  to  implore  him  to  locate  his  Equatorial  Missions  at 
a  certain   distance  from   stations   occupied  by  Protestants,    to 


(     3     ) 

"which  he  agreed  in  word,  though  his  practice  has  been  different, 
he  spoke  with  admiration  of  Livingstone.  But  to  this  servant 
of  God  it  was  not  conceded  to  see  one  single  fruit  of  his  labours. 
He  saw  no  Mission  spring  up ;  like  JMoses,  he  only  beheld  the 
promised  land  from  Pisgah  ;  he  died  without  knowing  of  the 
secret  of  the  source  of  the  Nile  and  the  Kongo.  But  even  after 
death  he  seemed  to  have  power  to  charm,  and  to  conquer,  for 
by  Faith  his  bones  were  conveyed  by  his  faithful  Africans  to  the 
sea-shore,  from  Ilala  on  Lake  Bangweolo,  where  he  died,  along 
a  route  never  traversed  before,  as  if  the.  great  discoverer  had 
power  to  add  to  geographical  knowledge  after  his  death,  and  the 
great  philanthropist  wished  to  leave  a  lasting  proof,  that  the 
natives  of  South  Africa  can  be  faithful  and  loyal,  and  capable 
of  high  enterprises,  if  they  are  kindly  treated. 

By  Faith  Krapf  and  Rebman  sat  year  after  year  at  the  watch- 
tower  of  Mombasa,  waiting  till  the  day  should  dawn,  calling  to 
each  other,  "Watchman,  what  of  the  night  .'^"  writing  home 
descriptions  of  vast  lakes,  and  snow-capped  mountains  on  the 
Equator,  causing  themselves  to  be  derided,  both  as  Missionaries 
and  Geographers ;  yet  they  lived  to  be  honoured  in  both 
capacities,  they  lived  to  see  the  day  dawn  at  last,  to  hear  of  Frere- 
Town  being  established  as  a  Station  for  released  slaves  at  Mom- 
basa, to  hear  of  those  internal  seas  being  navigated,  and  that 
snow-capped  mountain  being  visited.  In  his  old  age  Krapf  in 
tearful  gratitude  read  Henry  Stanley's  challenge,  which  rang 
with  trumpet-sound  from  the  capital  of  U-Ganda,  and  was 
gallantly  answered  by  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and  he 
lived  to  hear  of  the  great  Apostle's  Street,  which  by  Faith  he 
had  suggested,  being  carried  out  from  Zanzibar  to  the  Great 
Lakes,  to  be  extended  westward  down  the  Kongo,  until  hands 
are  shaken  with  the  Baptist  Missionaries  working  up  that  River 
from  the  West. 

By  Faith  the  good  Baptist  Society  established  themselves  in 
the  island  of  Fernando  Po,  and,  driven  thence  by  the  intolerance 
of  the  Spaniards,  they  crossed  over  to  the  mainland,  and  found 
what  seemed  once,  but,  alas !  is  no  longer,  a  more  enduring 
inheritance  in  the  Kamerun  Mountains.  By  Faith  here  Saker 
lived,  laboured,  and  died,  translating  the  Holy  Scriptures  into 
the  language  of  the  Dualla,  but  leaving  his  work  to  be  revised 
by  his  young  daughter,  opening  out  a  new  field  for  the  talent 
and  zeal  of  women.  Hence  in  fullness  of  time  by  Faith  Comber 
started  to  conquer  new  kingdoms  on  the  Kongo,  making,  alas  ! 
the  heavy  sacrifice  of  the  life  of  his  wife  at  San  Salvador,  before 
he  reached  Stanley  Pool,  with  the  great  heart  of  Africa  open  to 
his  assault;  for  in  their  hands  the  Baptist  Missionaries  had  carried 
gentle  Peace,  and  their  vessel  with  that  name  still  carries  them 
onward  on  their  blessed  and  peaceful  enterprise. 


(     4     ) 

By  Faith  our  good  brethren  in  North  America  were  among 
the  first  to  send  out  their  agents  to  West  and  South  Africa,  to 
pay  back  the  debt  which  they  owed,  and  to  atone  for  the  wrong, 
Avhich  their  forefathers  had  inflicted.  The  Sun  was  thus  taken 
back  to  the  East,  to  lighten  those  sitting  in  darkness.  •  Each 
and  every  one  of  their  Churches  by  Faith  have  vied  in  the  desire 
to  found  strong  Missions,  translate  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  to 
press  forward  the  work  of  freedom,  education,  civilization,  and 
evangelization. 

By  Faith  the  holy  and  humble  hearted  Protestant  churches 
on  the  Continent  of  Europe,  less  amply  endowed  in  material 
resources,  but  more  richly  in  intellect,  industry,  and  self-conse- 
cration, have  sent  forth  a  golden  stream  of  Missionaries  from 
the  centres  of  Basle  and  Canton  de  Vaud,  in  Switzerland ;  of 
Barmen,  Bremen,  Berlin,  Herrnhut  and  Hermansburg,  in 
Germany ;  from  Norway,  Sweden,  Finland  and  France,  to  hold 
the  fort  in  the  most  exposed  situations,  to  suffer  imprisonment, 
to  achieve  great  literary  works,  to  found  living  churches,  and 
attract  to  themselves  the  affections  of  the  African.  The  names 
of  the  devoted  men  and  women,  who  have  lived  and  died  for 
Christ,  may  not  be  known  to  the  world,  but  are  written  in  the 
Book  of  Life. 

By  Faith  Samuel  Crowther  was  rescued  from  the  captivity,  into 
which  he,  like  Joseph,  had  been  sold  by  his  brethren,  was  re- 
stored to  his  country,  to  be  no  longer  a  slave,  but  a  teacher,  a 
leader,  a  benefactor,  and  an  example ;  by  Faith  he  was  set  apart 
to  give  the  lie  to  the  enemies  of  the  African,  to  stultify  the  idle 
taunt,  that  a  Negro  is  incapable,  by  his  nature,  of  culture,  piety, 
honesty,  and  social  virtues  ;  by  Faith  he  was  raised  up  to  mark 
an  epoch  in  the  sad  chronicle  of  his  persecuted  race,  and  to  be 
the  firstfruit  of  the  coming  harvest  of  African  pastors  and 
evangelists.  By  Faith  his  son  Dandison,  Henry  Johnson,  and 
James  Johnson,  were  blessed  with  the  great  Grace  of  being 
allowed  to  tread  in  his  footsteps. 

If  any  of  my  hearers  desire  to  know  the  real  worth  of  the 
African  Missionary,  let  them  read  the  lives  of  ]\Irs.  Hinderer  at 
Ibadan,  and  Mrs.  Wakefield  at  l<ib6,  and  of  many  other  noble 
men  and  women,  of  whom  this  self-seeking  world  was  not  worthy, 
who  left  comforts  at  home  to  labour  among  the  Africans ;  who, 
in  spite  of  overpowering  maladies,  have  been,  like  Hannington, 
unwilling  to  leave  the  country  of  their  choice,  and  determined 
to  return  in  spite  of  the  warning  voice  of  their  doctor,  or  who, 
like  him,  have  died  as  good  confessors,  counting  not  their  lives 
worthy,  but  to  fill  up  what  remains  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ. 
Such  lives,  in  their  simple  eloquence,  cannot  fail  to  chasten  the 
proud  heart,  to  drive  out  selfish  egotism,  and  to  sustain  the 
sinking  spirit ;    they  leave  a  ray  of  tender  light  behind  lliem, 


(    5    ) 

showing  that  the  age  of  chivalry,  and  of  self-abnegation,  has 
not  entirely  passed  away ;  that  the  nineteenth  century,  in  spite 
of  its  worldliness  and  infidelity,  is  still  able  to  supply  crusaders 
to  fight  the  battle  of  our  Master. 

We  read  often  in  Secular  books,  and  too  often  in  Missionary 
Biographies,  how  our  Heavenly  Father  is  supposed  on  some 
occasions  to  have  graciously  interposed  to  save  the  life  of  one  of 
His  poor  children  :  in  Rojnan  Catholic  accounts  this  benevolent 
interference  is  always  attributed  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  or  St. 
Teresa.  Not  a  sparrow  indeed  falls  without  His  command  ;  but 
if  such  interference  is  presumed,  when  a  good  man's  life  is  saved, 
how  shall  we  account  for  the  absence  of  this  Providential  care, 
when  the  good  man  is  cruelly  killed,  or  cut  off  by  premature 
disease  ?  Such  is  but  a  narrow  view  of  God's  Providence  His 
ways  are  not  our  v/ays :  He  has  chosen  His  Servants  for 
particular  services:  some  to  honour:  some  to  dishonour.  Some 
are  selected  to  live  and  work,  to  others  is  conceded  the  peculiar 
Grace  to  die  nobly,  and  set  a  glorious  example;  Deaths  are  re- 
quired as  well  as  Lives  to  complete  the  picture  of  the  New  Life. 
Some  may  follow  the  steps  of  our  Lord  in  a  life  of  beneficence 
and  mercy :  to  others  is  granted  the  sweeter  lot  of  filling  up  that 
which  is  behind  of  His  Sufferings.  And  in  the  last  struggle 
how  by  Grace  they  have  been  sustained,  doing  nothing  common 
or  mean  in  the  last  memorable  scene  of  their  earthly  passion, 
but  sealing  their  Faith  by  their  manner  of  meeting  Death  ! 

Hear  some  of  the  dying  words  of  these  soldiers  of  Christ.  In 
the  hour  of  death  all  things  are  terribly  real.  There  is  no  room 
for  deception  or  false  enthusiasm  there.  I  have  selected  these 
words  without  distinction  of  country  or  denomination,  but  their 
number  might  be  multiplied  indefinitely.  Arrhenius,  the  Swede, 
had  only  a  few  months  of  labour  in  the  Galla  country  after  years 
of  preparation  for  his  duties  :  his  last  words  were : 
Jesus,  help  me  !   Jesus,  help  me  !    Amen. 

Praetorius,  the  Swiss,  was  sent  out  for  a  few  months'  inspec- 
tion of  the  Missions  on  the  Gold  Coast :  he  called  upon  me  on 
his  way  out,  and  promised  to  call  again  on  his  return  ;  but  after 
a  few  weeks  in  Africa  he  fell.     His  last  words  were  : 

Is  it  true  that  I  am  going  home  to-day? 

Of  all  the  smaller  English  missions,  the  Livingstone-Kongo 
was  conspicuous  for  its  overflowing  of  zeal,  and  life,  and  promise, 
and  of  all  its  agents  McCall  was  the  brightest;  but  he  was  struck 
down  in  mid-work.  His  last  words  were  recorded  by  a  stranger 
who  visited  him.     Let  each  one  of  us  lay  them  to  our  hearts : 

Lord,  I  gave  myself,  body,  mind,  and  soul,  to  Thee.  I  consecrated  my  whole 
life  and  being  to  Thy  service,  and  now,  if  it  please  Thee  to  take  myself,  instead 
of  the  work  which  I  would  do  for  Thee,  what  is  that  to  me?     Thy  will  be  done  ! 


(    6    ) 

He  had  hoped  that  his  destined  course  might  have  been  among 
the  brave  and  strong,  to  toil  with  high  purpose  in  the  service  of 
the  African  ;  but  God  had  chosen  another  part  for  him,  and  as  a 
true  Christian,  he  recognized,  that  God  had  chosen  it  well,  and 
no  weak  murmurs  escaped  the  lips  of  one  who  was  ready  to  live 
or  ready  to  die.  Golaz,  of  the  French  Mission  to  Senegambia, 
as  well  as  his  young  wife,  died  within  the  year  after  their  arrival : 
his  farewell  words  were : 

Do  not  be  discouraged,  if  the  first  labourers  fall  in  the  field.  Their  graves 
will  mark  the  way  for  their  successors,  who  will  march  past  them  with  great 
strides. 

Pinkerton,  of  the  American  Mission  in  Zululand,  was  ordered 
to  lead  a  new  iVIission  into  Umzila's  kingdom  :  he  conveyed  his 
wife  and  children  to  North  America,  and  returned  joyfully  to  his 
task.  He  met  with  many  obstacles  and  rebuffs,  but  at  length 
found  himself  well  on  the  road.  His  last  written  lines  were  to 
his  wife : 

The  future  will  bring  its  needed  light,  and  work,  and  solace.  My  thoughts 
turn  sadly  to  you  and  our  children.     All  well.      We  go  right  on. 

It  was  to  him  indeed  all  well,  for  in  a  few  days  he  breathed  his 
last  sigh  alone  in  the  African  jungle :  he  had  gone  right  on  into 
Glory.  On  the  other  side  of  Africa  Bagster,  of  the  same  Mission, 
had  been  sent  to  found  a  Mission  among  the  Ambandu  :  a  few 
months  before  his  death  he  had  proposed  to  write  on  "The 
Missionary's  Joys."     In  the  last  page  of  his  Journal  we  find : 

We  hear  His  voice  of  cheer :  Go  forward  :  one  man  of  you  shall  chase  ten 
thousand  :  the  Lord  your  God  has  promised  you  the  good  land,  which  he  has 
given  to  you  :  most  joyous  is  the  service  of  our  King  ! 

Thomson,  of  the  Baptist  Mission  in  the  Kamerun  country  (that 
famous  INIission  which  has  during  1885-86  been  uprooted  and 
destroyed  by  the  late  German  Emperor),  a  few  weeks  before  his 
death  in  December,  1884,  unconscious  of  the  ruin,  which  was 
so  soon  to  come  upon  the  scene  of  his  labours,  on  his  Chapels, 
and  his  Mission  Schools,  wrote  as  follows : 

I  am  sustained  and  upheld  amid  many  and  heavy  anxieties  by  the  growing 
conviction  that  the  dear  Master  is  in  His  great  condescension  using  me  here 
for  the  settlement  of  many  difficulties  ;  and  I  look  forward  to  the  future  with 
more  hope  than  I  have  known  for  years.  I  believe  the  work  here  will  soon 
assume  a  better  and  a  brighter  aspect,  and  my  heart  glows  within  me,  as  by 
faith  I  see  the  time.  Oh  for  more  and  more  of  Grace  to  cast  all  our  burdens 
upon  the  Divine  burden-bearer  !     Our  hope  and  trust  are  in  Him  alone  ! 

With  such  men  (and  these  few  are  but  types  of  many)  Africa 
and  the  whole  world  can  be  conquered.  Such  deaths  are  great 
victories.  Such  words  tell  us  that  some  portion  of  us  is  im- 
mortal. These  confessors  saw  the  promises  afar  off,  and  were 
persuaded  of  them,  confessing  that  they  were  strangers  and 
pilgrims,  and  desiring  a  better  country,  that  is,  a  heavenly. 


(     7    ) 

Still,  they  were  men  with  like  weaknesses,  and  cravings  for  love, 
as  ourselves,  and  it  is  with  heavy  heart,  that  I  read  of  the  last 
moments  of  such  servants  of  God,  dying  sometimes  without  the 
solaces  of  Religion,  with  no  fond  breast  to  lean  upon,  with  none 
of  the  ordinary  necessities  of  civilized  life,  to  sustain  and  comfort, 
and  smooth  the  path  to  that  bourne,  which  Men  call  Death,  but 
which  indeed  is  the  Portal  to  Everlasting  Life.  The  last  journal 
of  Hannington  (who  was 'present,  when  I  read  this  address  four 
years  ago)  brings  this  point  of  view  vividly  before  me.  I  can 
see  that  faithful  Christian  in  the  midst  of  his  sad  environment, 
oppressed  with  anxiety  for  the  future  of  the  work,  to  which  he 
had  consecrated  himself,  still  sustained  by  the  daily  reading  of, 
and  meditation  upon,  the  Psalms  of  David.  We  find  in  these 
pages,  so  wonderfully  preserved,  no  rebellious  murmuring,  no 
cries  for  Vengeance,  no  appeal  to  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh.  Still, 
as  he  lay  tossing  on  his  unsavoury  heap  of  straw,  before  his 
feverish  eyes,  during  those  sad  days  and  weary  nights,  would  rise 
the  vision  of  the  peaceful  home,  the  pleasing  duties,  the  loved 
companion,  the  little  children,  whom  he  had  voluntarily  left, 
obeying  the  call  to  serve  his  Master :  and  not  in  vain,  for  a  still 
voice  would  whisper  to  him  : 

It  is  the  Lord's  will  :  obedierice  is  of  the  essence  of  true  courage,  and  true 
love.  The  battles  of  the  Heavenly  King  are  fought  in  suffering  as  well  as 
doing,  and  in  dishonour,  in  prison,  and  in  a  shameful  death,  as  truly  as  in  the 
Mission  Chapel,  the  Mission  School,  and  the  centre  of  a  Christian  Village. 

We  seem  at  this  period  of  the  history  of  our  Missionary 
Churches  to  be  living  over  again  the  trials  and  persecutions 
of  the  early  Christians  in  the  first  Century.  Do  we  not  seem  to 
hear  the  echo  of  the  words  of  the  Virgin-Saint,  who  at  Aries  in 
France  was  slowly  let  down  feet-forward  into  a  vessel  of  boiling 
oil,  because  she  refused  to  deny  her  Master  ? 

Jesus  Christ,  help  me !  Praise  be  to  Thee !  Lord  Jesus,  grant  me  patience  ! 
I  suffer  for  Thy  name's  sake  :  I stiffer  for  a  little  time  only  :  I  suffer  of  viy  oxvn 
accord :  Jesus,  let  me  never  be  confounded  !  take  me  !  take  me  ! 

Time  would  fail  me  to  tell  of  Schlenker,  and  Reichardt,  and 
Schon;  of  Goldie  and  Edgerley;  of  Casalis,  Mabille,  and  Coillard; 
of  James  Stewart  of  Lovedale,  and  his  namesake  on  the  Nyassa  ; 
of  Grant  and  Wilson;  of  Ramseyer  and  Christaller;  of  Mackenzie, 
the  Bishop  who  died  on  the  River  Shir6 ;  and  of  Steere  the  Bishop, 
who  sealed  up  the  translation  of  the  last  chapter  of  Isaiah  ready 
for  the  printer,  and  then  fell  asleep  at  Zanzibar  ;  of  Parker  the 
Bishop,  wise  and  gentle,  holy  and  self-restrained,  who  was  called 
to  his  rest  on  the  Southern  shores  of  Victoria  Nyanza ;  of  Wake- 
field and  New ;  of  Stern,  Mayer  and  Flad ;  of  Southon,  the 
IMedical  Missionary,  who  died  at  U-Rambo  ;  of  dear  IMullens, 
who  could  not  hold  himself  back  from  the  fight,  and  who  sleeps 
in  U-Sagara;  of  many  a  gentle  lady's  grave,  for  women  have 


(     8     ) 

never  been  found  wanting  to  share  the  honour  and  the  danger 
of  the  Cross. 

I  have  seen  and  known  so  many  of  them.  A  few  weeks  before 
we  were  holding  sweet  converse,  and  then  the  tidings  of  the 
death  of  some  one  of  them  came  floating  back  by  letter  or 
telegram.  They  had  indeed  all  gone  into  a  far  country,  and 
to  me  they  seem  to  be  all  there  still ;  and,  when  I  am  musing 
about  Africa,  or  studying  some  point  connected  with  that 
country,  and  I  look  up  from  my  paper  to  my  African  library,  the 
forms  of  departed  friends  seem  to  enter  at  the  open  door,  and 
I  seem  to  see  their  faces  again,  and  to  ask  them  their  opinion. 
Young  Riviere,  a  Jesuit  priest,  who  had  been  turned  out  of 
Algeria,  and  taken  refuge  in  North  Wales,  used  to  correspond  with 
me  about  Africa.  One  day  he  called  upon  me  in  London,  and  told 
me,  that  he  had  received  his  orders  to  start  at  once  to  the  Zambesi 
Mission-field,  to  take  the  place  of  a  dead  colleague.  He 
promised  to  write  to  me  from  T6t6,  and  to  clear  up  many  ques- 
tions for  me ;  but  he  never  reached  his  destination,  for  he  sank 
under  his  first  attack  of  fever  at  the  mouth  of  the  Zambesi. 
Differing  as  I  do  from  the  Church  of  Rome  in  every  principle 
and  detail  of  their  evil  system,  I  can  still  recognize  and  thank 
God  for  the  zeal,  and  love  of  souls,  and  total  abnegation  of  self, 
which  distinguishes  her  IMissionaries.  Oh,  when  they  are  such, 
would  that  they  were  ours  ! 

1  often  think  of  that  famous  scene  in  one  of  Walter  Scott's 
romances,  where  the  clansman  and  his  seven  sons  all  fell  for 
their  chieftain,  stepping  forth,  one  after  the  other,  gladly  into  the 
gap,  and  crying,  "One  more  for  Eachim  !"  So  it  is  with  the 
reserve  forces  of  Missionaries.  "  One  more  for  Christ!  "  And 
how  much  better  to  have  young  lives  and  treasure  spent  by  the 
Missions  in  trying  to  save  African  souls,  than  wasted  by  the 
English  nation  in  slaughtering  the  unoffending  and  undaunted 
freemen  of  the  Sudan,  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  an  imagi- 
nary prestige  of  having  the  strength  of  a-  giant  without  the  Grace 
of  knowing,  how  to  use  that  strength  as  a  Christian.  Wherefore, 
seeing  that  we  are  compassed  about  with  so  great  a  cloud  of 
witnesses,  let  us  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  press  forward  more 
and  more  upon  our  bounden  duty  and  service  to  evangelize  Africa. 
We  owe  this  debt  to  those  who  have  gone  before,  that  they  should 
not  have  died  in  vain.  The  Missionary  is  indeed  the  most  glorious 
outcome  of  the  nineteenth  century  ;  the  honest  God-fearing  man 
in  the  darkest  corner  of  the  earth,  where  he  is  most  wanted,  to 
represent  the  highest  type  of  Christian  patience  and  morality. 
Oh  !  that  we  now  had  there 
But  one  ten  thousand  of  those  men  in  England, 
IF/io  do  110  7uork  to-day  ! 

Address  at  Powys  Hall,  "Lo^-DO^,  jNIarch,  i88+ 
(with  additions,  1887-1888). 


(    9    ) 


II. 
NATIVE    TEACHERS    IN    POLYNESIA. 

The  Isles  shall  wait  on  Me. — ISAIAH  Ix.  9. 

The  speaker  who  preceded  me  has  dwelt  on  the  Lord's  work  in 
India,  that  country,  the  interests  of  which  are  so  near  to  my 
heart.  Twenty-five  years'  residence  has  taught  me  to  love  the 
people,  whose  languages  and  customs  have  become  to  me  as 
familiar  as  my  own.  India  has  been  indeed  the  joy  of  my  youth 
and  manhood.  The  speaker,  who  follows  me,  will  treat  of  Africa, 
the  land  of  my  adoption,  the  solace  of  my  old  age,  to  which  I 
have  consecrated  fifteen  years  of  study.  India  and  Africa  are 
the  popular,  and  best  known  topics  of  Missionary  interest. 
Their  populations  can  only  be  counted  in  hundreds  of  millions. 
I  seek  to  interest  you  this  day  in  the  story  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
Islands  of  the  South  Sea ;  the  shaking  of  the  olive-tree  ;  the 
gleaning  grapes,  when  the  vintage  is  done  :  the  few  sheep 
left  in  the  wilderness ;  yet  God's  Grace  has  been  marvellously 
evidenced  in  these  Islands,  the  utmost  ends  of  the  world,  con- 
cerning the  existence  of  which  neither  Prophet  nor  Evangelist 
had  the  remotest  conception.  Isaiah  in  a  moment  of  inspiration 
cried  out  on  three  several  occasions  : 

The  Isles  shall  wait  for  His  Law  (xlii.  4).  The  Isles  shall  wait  on  Me  and 
on  Mine  arm  shall  they  trust  (1.  5).  Surely  the  Isles  shall  wait  for  Me,  to 
bring  thy  sons  from  far,  unto  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  to  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel,  because  He  has  glorified  thee  (Ix.  9). 

Our  Blessed  Lord  told  His  disciples: 

That  in  those  days  the  Son  of  i\Ian  would  gather  His  elect  from  the  four 
winds,  from  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  (^Iark  xiii.  27). 

It  is  only  in  this  generation,  that  the  magnificence  of  the 
prediction  can  be  realized  in  its  fullness. 

The  World  is  generally  considered  to  consist  of  four  Continents ; 
but  lying  outside  them   in  the  bosom  of  the  Pacific  are  fairy 

PART  IV.  2 


(      10      ) 

Regions,  sealed  and  secluded  gardens  of  the  Ocean,  where  Day 
never  shuts  her  eye :  regions  which  were  dreamt  of  by  the  Poet 
Horace  : 

Nos  manet  Oceanus  circumvagus  ;  Arva  Beata, 
Petamus  arva,  divites  et  Insulas. 

In  later  days  Tennyson  has  described  them  in  a  few  wondrous 

lines  : 

there  to  wander  far  away 
On  from  island  unto  island  at  the  gateways  of  the  Day, 
Larger  constellations  burning,  mellow  moons  and  happy  skies, 
Breadth  of  tropic  shade  and  palms  in  cluster,  knots  of  Paradise  : 
Never  comes  the  trader,  never  floats  an  European  flag. 
Slides  the  bird  o'er  lustrous  woodland,  swings  the  trailer  from  the  crag  : 
Droops  the  heavy-blossomed  bower,  hangs  the  heavy-fruited  tree, 
Summer  isles  of  Eden  lying  in  dark  purple  spheres  of  sea. 

These  regions  have  been  marked  by  frightful  crimes,  Cannibal- 
ism, Human  Sacrifice,  Sorcery,  and  by  the  murders  of  Cook  and 
La  Perouse,  the  explorers,  and  John  Williams  and  Patteson,  the 
Missionaries.  Yet  God  did  not  leave  them  for  ever  without  a 
witness,  and  at  the  close  of  last  century  Missionaries  found  their 
way  to  Tahiti  from  England  :  later  on,  Hawaii  and  Mikronesia 
were  occupied  by  an  American  INIission  :  soon  after.  New  Zealand 
was  evangelized  from  England,  as  well  as  Samoa,  Fiji,  the  Loyalty 
Islands,  the  New  Hebrides,  Bank's  Islands,  Santa  Cruz,  Solomon 
Islands,  and  New  Guinea.  Never,  since  the  days  of  Pentecost, 
had  there  been  so  plentiful  an  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  for  God 
chose  men  of  the  vilest  to  be  His  iMessengers,  and  the  Divine 
method  of  sending  out  Native  teachers  two  and  two  to  evangelize 
their  own  countrymen  was  adopted  with  wonderful  success  by  all 
Protestant  Denominations.  Those,  who  have  travelled  in  tropical 
climates,  know  how  at  night  the  ship  leaves  behind  it  a  long  and 
broad  brilliant  furrow  of  light,  marking  for  many  leagues  the 
course  which  has  been  taken.  Such  is  the  light  left  behind  in 
their  annual  visits  by  the  Missionary  Ships,  the  John  Williams, 
the  Wesley,  the  Southern  Cross,  and  the  Dayspring,  the  memories 
of  unselfish  acts  of  kindness,  devotion  to  the  best  interests  of  the 
islanders,  and  the  desire  to  elevate  them,  and  protect  them  from 
their  own  cruel  customs,  and  from  the  vicious  trader  and 
heartless  man-stealer. 

The  region  of  Oceania  has  sometimes  been  called  Australasia, 
as  being  a  southern  extension  of  Asia  ;  but  the  name  of  Oceania 
is  more  suitable.  With  certain  exceptions  it  is  South  of  the 
Equator  and  North  of  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn.  Estimated  by 
its  land-area,  it  is  only  a  little  larger  than  Europe  :  estimated  by 
the  surface  on  the  face  of  the  Globe,  over  which  the  Islands  are 
spread,  the  area  occupied  exceeds  that  of  Asia,  for  it  stretches 
from  Australia  on  the  West  to  Easter  Island  on  the  East,  from 


(  II  ) 

the  Sandwich  Islands  North  of  the  Equator  to  the  Southern 
point  of  New  Zealand.  It  does  not  include  Malaisia :  it  may  be 
said  of  Oceania,  that  it  is  entirely  outside  the  influence  of  Asiatic 
Religion  and  Culture. 

The  four  Subdivisions  are,  I.  Polynesia;  II.  Melanesia;  III. 
Mikronesia  ;  IV.  Australia.  The  last  may  be  omitted  from  this 
discussion,  as  little  or  nothing  has  been  done  to  evangelize  the 
Natives,  and  this  is  a  heavy  blot  on  the  Churches  of  Australia, 
which  proposes  to  send  out  Missions'  to  New  Guinea,  while 
80,000  of  the  Queen's  subjects  at  their  very  door  know  not  the 
Saviour,  and  have  not  one  translation  of  the  Bible  in  their 
numerous  languages  in  circulation. 

Polynesia  includes  the  Groups  of  the  Paumotu,  Society,  Harvey 
or  Cook,  Marquesas,  Sandwich,  Ellis,  Samoa,  Tonga,  and  New 
Zealand.  The  number  of  Islands  is  very  great,  and  the  beauty 
of  the  scenery,  and  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  notorious.  Their 
existence  maybe  said  to  have  been  certified  byTasman  in  164.2, 
but  they  were  first  brought  to  notice  by  Captain  Cook,  who,  in 
the  first  of  his  celebrated  voyages,  visited  Tahiti,  and  in  his  last 
perished  at  the  Sandwich  Islands.  The  population  is  one  race, 
and  they  all  speak  closely  connected  languages :  though  a  noble 
race,  tall,  fair,  agreeable,  and  beautiful,  they  were  cruel  Idolaters 
and  Cannibals  ;  but  they  are  now  nearly  entirely  Christians. 
The  London  Missionary  Society,  the  Wesleyan  Missionary 
Society,  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  and  the 
Church  IMissionary  Society  have  accomplished  this  noble  work : 
the  Marquesas,  Paumotu  and  the  Islands  of  Wallis  and  Horn, 
are  mainly  Roman  Catholic.  Great  Britain  has  taken  possession 
of  New  Zealand  :  France  of  Tahiti,  Paumotu,  and  Marquesas. 
Other  groups  maintain  a  precarious  independence. 

To  the  West  of  Polynesia  lies  the  Region  of  Melanesia.  The 
British  Colony  of  Fiji  is  on  the  extreme  Eastern  flank,  and  a 
necklace  of  Islands  extends  in  a  semicircular  sweep  to  the  great 
Island  of  New  Guinea,  the  whole  of  which  is  included,  and  has 
been  divided  between  Holland,  Great  Britain,  and  Germany. 
France  is  in  possession  of  the  Islands  of  New  Caledonia,  and  the 
Isle  of  Pines  :  the  remainder  are  for  the  moment  independent,  but 
the  end  seems  approaching.  The  population  speak  a  multiplicity 
of  totally  different  languages  :  they  are  black,  savage,  inhospit- 
able savages.  Still  the  Grace  of  God  has  been  found  sufiicient 
to  carry  the  Gospel  to  a  large  number,  and  the  work  is  being 
pushed  forward  at  different  points  by  the  London  Missionary 
Society,  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,  the  Presbyterian 
Associations  of  Scotland,  Australia,  and  Canada,  and  the 
Melanesian  Mission  of  the  Church  of  England.  Perils  of  no 
ordinary  character  had  to  be  encountered  ;  perils  of  the  deep, 
for  the  steamship  through  an  unsurveyed  sea  was  the  only  means 


(       12       ) 

of  communication ;  perils  of  the  climate,  perils  from  cruel, 
treacherous  savages,  whose  worst  passions  had  been  roused  by 
the  injuries  inflicted  upon  them  by  the  men-stealers  from  Australia 
and  Fiji,  and  the  depravity  caused  by  the  introduction  of 
intoxicating  liquors,  and  foul  diseases.  .  Difficulties  presented 
themselves  of  no  ordinary  character,  to  provide  safe  and 
decent  protection  from  the  weather,  to  provide  supplies  of  food, 
to  train  native  teachers,  to  collect  scholars  from  distant  Islands, 
and  to  master  the  strangely  difterent  languages. 

IMikronesia  lies  wholly  North  of  the  Equator,  consisting  of 
the  Caroline  Islands,  belonging  to  Spain,  the  Marshall  Islands 
recently  annexed  by  Germany,  and  the  Gilbert  Islands.  The 
population  is  gentle,  hospitable,  free  from  savage  and  criminal 
habits,  speaking,  however,  several  distinct  languages.  The 
American  Board  of  Foreign  IMissions  have  prosecuted  their 
quiet  labours  with  marked  success. 

It  is  not  my  object  in  this  paper  to  state  in  detail  the  particular 
work  done  by  different  jNIissionaries.  Still  less  is  it  my  object  to 
fall  into  the  too  common  error  of  unduly  glorifying  individuals. 
In  the  long  list  of  heroes  above  all  tower  the  names  of  John 
Williams  and  James  Patteson,  for  they  were  selected  by  Divine 
Providence  for  the  honour  of  sealing  their  Faith  by  the  offer  of 
their  lives,  and  I  call  particular  attention  to  the  fact,  that  no 
wish  was  expressed  by  their  friends,  nor  attempt  made  by 
the  British  Government,  to  avenge  their  lives,  though  nothing 
in  their  cases  could  have  been  easier.  The  true-hearted  Mis- 
sionary trusts  not  in  the  staff  of  a  broken  reed,  the  Arm  of  the 
Flesh,  but  in  the  Lord  his  God. 

One  characteristic  feature  of  the  labours  in  all  these  Regions 
has  been  the  translation  of  the  Bible,  or  of  portions,  into 
the  languages  of  the  tribes,  as  they  came  under  IMissionary 
influence.  The  versions  thus  prepared,  and  published  by  the 
Bible  Societies,  came  upon  the  Scholars  of  Europe  with  all  the 
freshness  of  a  new  revelation.  It  is  indeed  wonderful  to  handle 
translations  into  the  languages  of  Tahiti,  Rarotonga,  the  Mar- 
quesas, Hawaii,  Samoa,  Nieue,  Tonga,  and  Maori,  in  Polynesia : 
of  Fiii,  Rotuma,  INIare,  Lifu,  Uvea,  Aneityum,  Tanna,  Nguna, 
Futuna,  Erromanga,  Aniwa,  Fate,  Mota,  Florida  and  Isabel,  in 
the  Groups  of  the  Loyalty,  New  Hebrides,  Banks,  and  Solomon 
Islands  :  in  the  language  of  the  Islands  of  IMurray,  and  Saibai  in 
Torres  Straits,  and  the  Duke  of  York  Island,  and  New  Britain,  in 
St.  George's  Strait,  and  INIafur,  Motu,  and  South  Cape  in  New 
Guinea,  all  in  ^Melanesia.  Add  to  this  versions  in  the  languages 
of  Kusai,  Ebon,  Gilbert  Islands,  Ponape,  and  INIortlock  Islands, 
all  in  IMikronesia.  Nowhere  is  the  precious  gift  of  the  Bible 
more  valued  than  by  these  newly-converted  races  :  the  people 
of  Samoa  remitted  the  whole  cost  of  the  expense  of  printing 


(     13     ) 

their  version :  when  a  Mission-ship  touches  at  a  port,  whole 
Editions  are  sold  off  before  the  ship  is  unloaded.  Free  gifts  to 
the  Bible  Society  are  tendered  by  less  wealthy  islands  in  the 
form  of  arrowroot  grown  specially  for  the  purpose.  When  the 
French  Priests  tried  to  wean  the  people  of  Tahiti  from  their 
Bibles,  they  found,  that  all  their  efforts  were  in  vain :  so  firm  a 
hold  had  the  Blessed  Book  been  able  to  lay  on  the  souls  and 
consciences  of  these  unsophisticated  races,  who  read,  and  believed 
and  practised. 

But  another  still  more  wonderful  characteristic  feature  has 
distinguished  the  Mission-work  of  Polynesia  and  Melanesia 
from  that  of  every  other  Region  in  the  World.  I  allude  to  the 
universal  and  successful  employment  of  Native  Teachers,  acting 
independently  of  the  European  Missionaries,  who  trained  young 
men,  collected  in  central  spots,  and  then  sent  them  out,  two  and 
two,  to  the  different  islands  occupied  by  Heathen  Cannibals. 
When  the  Mission-ship  returned  the  following  year,  it  was 
found,  that  these  devoted  men  had  either  worked  a  wonderful 
change  in  the  island,  or  had  been  killed  and  devoured.  A  few 
extracts  tell  the  story  with  life-like  fidelity. 

In  1876  a  Samoan  teacher  was  left  on  the  Island  of  Nano- 
manga,  seventy-five  miles  N.W. :  it  was  the  third  time  that  the 
attempt  had  been  made-.  In  1877  the  Island  was  visited  by  the 
Missionary  with  great  anxiety  for  the  safety  of  the  poor  man 
and  his  wife.  A  canoe  came  off,  and  the  Native,  being  asked 
after  the  teacher,  replied  in  broken  English,  "  He  good  man," 
and  the  teacher  soon  came  on  board,  and  told,  how  the  temple 
of  the  heathen-god  had  been  destroyed,  that  a  chapel  had  been 
built,  that  the  king  and  many  of  the  chiefs  had  become  Christians  : 
out  of  the  whole  island  150  were  Christians  and  86  still  heathen. 

In  1840  a  party  of  Native  Christians  from  Samoa  visited  Nine, 
or  Savage  Island,  in  hopes  of  preaching  the  Gospel.  They  were 
not  allowed  to  land,  but  three  Natives  came  off  to  their  ship, 
and  were  conveyed  to  Samoa.  One  of  them,  named  Peniamina, 
felt  the  power  of  the  Gospel,  and  longed  to  convey  it  to  his 
home.  He  tried  in  184.2,  but  failed;  in  1846  he  tried  again. 
A  chief  of  the  island  had  come  to  Samoa,  and  being  favourably 
impressed  with  Christianity,  the  two  were  conveyed  to  Nine. 
The  chief  swam  ashore,  told  the  people,  that  a  teacher  wished 
to  come,  and  the  chiefs  agreed.  The  sea  was  so  rough  that  no 
boat  could  be  used.  Peniamina  put  his  books  into  a  cask,  and 
jumped  into  the  sea,  and  on  October  26th,  1846,  stood  as  a 
teacher  on  his  own  island.  He  was  ill-treated  and  robbed,  but 
his  life  was  spared.  When  the  Mission-ship  came  back,  after 
two  years,  it  was  found,  that  the  work  was  done,  that  religious 
services  had  commenced,  and  that  they  were  willing  to  receive 
a  Samoan  teacher.     Paulo  and  his  wife  landed  in  October,  1849. 


(     14    ) 

At  first  they  were  dreadfully  ill-treated,  but  they  bore  it  with 
patience.  Paulo  laboured  thirteen  years  and  a  half,  and  trans- 
lated a  portion  of  the  New  Testament  into  the  language  :  he 
taught  hundreds  to  write ;  he  taught  them  house-building  and 
carpentry ;  he  preached  the  Gospel,  and  converted  a  great  many  ; 
he  found  them  naked  savages,  he  left  them  a  community  of 
civilized  professing  Christians. 

After  much  faithful  labour,  the  Isle  of  Tonga  was  brought  to 
Christ.  The  missionary  urged  on  the  Tonga  teachers  the  claim 
of  the  neighbouring  Island  of  Fiji  for  help :  two  of  the  younger 
and  best  men  at  once  offered  themselves  willingly,  and  were 
sent.  Teachers  from  Tonga  Island  were  sent  to  Rotuma  Island, 
800  miles  distant,  and  were  the  first  to  learn  the  Rotuma 
language,  and  preach  the  Gospel. 

The  mortality  among  the  Polynesian  teachers,  who  had 
volunteered  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the  black  cannibal  races  of 
INIelanesia,  was  estimated  by  Bishop  Selwyn,  who  had  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  their  work,  at  fifty,  mostly  from  Samoa  and 
Rarotonga ;  yet  no  better  proof  could  be  desired  of  the  earnest- 
ness of  the  Christian  converts  in  these  Islands  than  their 
readiness  to  volunteer  for  the  most  perilous  posts,  in  order  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  European  Missionary.  Of  two  teachers 
sent  to  New  Caledonia,  long  before  the  French  occupation,  one 
asked  to  be  removed  ;  he  feared  for  his  life  :  the  other  was 
ready  to  stay,  or  try  some  other  island  ;  he  wished  to  live  and 
die  in  the  service  of  Christ.  It  was  proposed  to  remove  him 
to  the  more  peaceful  Island  of  Mare  :  he  replied,  that  he  might 
as  well  be  killed  in  New  Caledonia  as  at  Mare. 

In  the  Isle  of  Pines,  close  by,  the  lives  of  the  teachers  were 
in  constant  jeopardy.  They  were  surrounded  by  men  thirsting 
for  their  blood.     Taunga  said  : 

Come  on,  kill  us  ;  we  are  not  afraid.  Close  our  lips  in  death,  but  remember, 
that  you  will  not  thereby  silence  the  Word  of  God. 

The  murderers  were  daunted,  and  desisted. 

Teachers  often  had  to  leave,  but  they  tried  after  a  season 
to  return,  and  with  success.  When  killed,  they  were  always 
devoured.  There  were  some  strange  contrasts.  In  Mar6  there 
were  two  teachers  :  one  died  of  consumption,  and  the  Natives 
wept,  as  if  he  had  been  one  of  themselves,  and  their  fear  was 
lest  the  other  should  die  also ;  they  supplied  him  with  food, 
and  would  not  let  him  run  any  risk. 

From  the  Island  of  Aniwa,  in  the  New  Hebrides,  the  Natives 
sent  out  three  of  themselves  as  teachers  and  evangelists  to  help 
to'give  the  Gospel  to  a  heathen  island ;  yet  about  fifteen  years 
ago  all  the  inhabitants  were  heathen  Cannibals,  in  a  a  state 
of  nudity;  now  they  are  all  professed  Christians,  and  conduct 
night  and  morning  family  worship. 


(    15    ) 

On  the  Island  of  Fat6  four  Samoa  teachers  were  left.  Some 
died  from  the  climate;  two  settled  with  their  wives  and  children 
at  the  express  request  of  the  Natives,  but  within  three  weeks  they 
were  all  killed  and  devoured.  Five  years  later  three  Rarotonga 
teachers  volunteered  to  renew  the  attempt,  and  succeeded,  and 
an  English  Missionary  soon  followed.  At  this  same  Island  of 
Rarotonga,  some  time  previously,  Papeiha  and  another  landed 
with  their  wives  ;  but  they  were  so  ill-treated  and  plundered, 
that  they  had  to  retreat.  Papeiha  volunteered  to  stay  alone, 
and  in  a  little  more  than  a  year  the  entire  population  was 
engaged  in  building  a  chapel.  If  any  attempt  was  made  to 
remove  a  favourite  teacher,  the  men  and  women  rose  up  to 
retain  him  by  force. 

The  people  of  Niua  Tobatabu  were  anxious  to  spread  the 
glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel  to  a  neighbouring  island,  and  they 
sent  a  canoe,  which  foundered,  and  the  teacher  was  drowned. 
His  body  was  washed  ashore,  and  his  hand  still  grasped  a 
bundle  of  Scripture  books,  from  which  he  was  not  parted  in 
his  watery  grave :  we  may  well  believe,  that  by  the  precious 
truths,  which  he  was  so  anxious  to  carry  to  others,  he  himself 
was  strengthened  in  his  last  hour  :  the  Great  Master  did  not 
permit  him  to  accomplish  his  loving  intentions. 

The  Native  teachers  were  indeed  on  one  side  weak:  they 
could  not  conduct  their  hearers  beyond  the  point,  to  which 
they  had  themselves  attained.  They  could  read  and  write,  and 
were  single-minded,  believing,  praying,  and  zealous,  and  their 
labours  received  a  manifold  blessing.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
were  the  best  pioneers :  the  gap  between  the  European  and  the 
debased  savage  was  too  great  to  be  at  once  spanned.  The 
Native  teacher  squatted  in  the  hut,  and  told  in  simple  words 
the  story  of  Jesus :  he  had  more  opportunities  of  bringing  the 
matter  home  to  the  consciences  and  hearts  of  his  ignorant 
audience  ;  they  knew  what  he  himself  had  been,  and  now  was  ; 
he  could  tell  them  what  had  wrought  the  wondrous  change. 
There  must  also  be  in  the  Polynesian  race  a  power  and  a 
dignity,  for  when  it  came  to  the  time,  that  the  Papuans  of  New 
Guinea  should  be  evangelized,  they  laughed  at  their  dark 
congeners  from  the  New  Hebrides,  but  obeyed  the  Polynesians 
of  Rarotonga  and  Samoa.  There  was  a  wonderful  facility 
and  readiness  for  talk  among  the  Polynesians ;  they  were  not 
troubled  with  bashfulness,  and  they  made  very  active  agents. 
A  visitor  to  the  Mission  remarked,  that  at  first  sight  it  appeared 
strange  to  see  a  man  clad  in  some  grotesque  dress,  such  as  the 
old  coat  of  a  soldier,  or  nothing  but  a  cotton  wrapper  round  the 
loins,  stand  up  and  lead  the  devotions  of  a  people ;  but  the 
strangeness  was  all  on  the  visitor's  side.  These  men  all  occupied 
a  good  position  in  the  estimation  of  their  fellow-worshippers, 


(     i6     ) 

and  expressed  themselves  in  a  way,  that  was  true  to  the  feelings 
and  wants  of  all,  as  is  evidenced  by  reading  many  of  the  prayers, 
which  they  have  uttered,  and  which  have  been  recorded.  No 
attempt  appears  to  have  been  made  to  provide  for  their 
sustenance,  while  they  were  acquiring  a  .new  language  totally 
different  from  their  own.  They  had  to  cultivate  plantations 
for  the  support  of  their  family ;  all  the  salary,  which  they 
received,  was  about  five  to  ten  pounds  per  annum  for  the 
purpose  of  purchasing  a  stock  of  clothing.  They  suffered  great 
privations  from  the  climate,  insufficient  nourishment,  and  bad 
dwelling-housfes,  and,  until  the  change  of  the  dispositions 
of  the  people  came,  lived  in  constant  fear  for  the  lives  of  all, 
and  the  honour  of  their  females.  It  makes  the  relative  position 
of  the  British  INIissionary,  with  all  his  requirements,  appear 
very  small  in  the  scale  of  consecration  and  devotion,  when 
weighed  in  the  great  balance,  in  which  all  God's  creatures  are 
in  His  sight  equal.  We  speak  with  pride  of  the  African 
redeemed  slave,  or  the  first  generation  of  redeemed  slaves, 
standing  out  bravely  in  his  new  profession  ;  but  these  Poly- 
nesians were  something  worse.  It  is  a  misfortune,  not  a  shame, 
to  have  been  a  slave ;  but  some  of  these  teachers  belonged 
themselves  to  cannibal  races  ;  they  had  taken  part  in  human 
sacrifices,  child  murder,  and  idolatrous  abominations,  and  yet 
the  Grace  of  God  had  so  worked  upon  them,  that  they  counted 
their  lives  as  nothing  compared  to  the  Cross  of  Christ ;  they 
gave  a  reality  in  the  nineteenth  century  to  the  eleventh  chapter 
of  Hebrews  ;  they  were  neither  wise  nor  great,  nor  powerful, 
but  they  were  faithful  in  life,  and  constant  in  death. 

I  give  another  story  to  show,  that  women  were  not  wanting 
in  this  holy  war.  I  have  already  noted  that  the  wives  always 
accompanied  the  teachers.  In  Rarotonga  a  Native  Teacher 
once  expressed  to  his  INIissionary  his  desire  to  get  married, 
"akaipoipo  vaine."  The  Missionary  expressed  his  concurrence, 
and  asked  if  he  had  thought  of  any  one  : 

Yes,  I  have  been  thinking  of  Maria,  the  daughter  of  another  teacher. 

On  being  asked,  if  he  had  made  known  his  desires  to  her,  he 
replied,  that  he  had  not  spoken  to  her,  but  that  he  had  been 
looking  at  her  for  a  long  time.  On  being  told,  that  something 
more  than  looking  was  necessary,  he  produced  a  letter  which  ran 
as  follows : 

I,  Akatangi,  have  been  now  appointed  to  go  as  a  Native  teacher  to  the 
heathen  in  the  dark  lands  westwards.  I  have  been  looking  at  you  for  a  long 
time,  and  I  desire  that  you  will  go  with  me.  If  you  love  Jesus,  if  you  love  the 
heathen,  and  if  you  love  me,  let  us  go  together.  Think  of  this,  and  let  me 
know.     Blessings  on  you  from  Jesus.     Amen.     Na  Akatangi. 

A  deacon  of  the  Church  conveyed  this  letter  to  ]\Iaria,  who,  on 


(     17    ) 

being  told  whence  it  came,  betrayed  an  expression  of  counte- 
nance, which  showed,  that  his  looking  at  her  had  produced 
no  unfavourable  impression,  and  on  reading  it,  she  was  pleased 
to  accept,  with  her  parents'  consent.  They  were  married,  went 
to  Erromanga,  the  scene  of  the  murder  of  John  Williams,  the  two 
Gordons,  and  Mrs.  Gordon,  and  lived  with  and  converted  the 
murderer  of  John  Williams. 

Perhaps,  in  some  such  way  Timothy  or  Titus,  or  Luke  the 
beloved  physician,  wooed  and  won  one  of  those  chaste  and 
sweet  women,  who  were  honoured  by  the  love  of  the  Apostle 
Paul:  Phebe,  a  "  succourer  of  many  and  of  myself  also:" 
Tryphena  and  Tryph6sa,  "who  laboured  in  the  Lord,"  or  "the 
beloved  Persis."  A  respect  for  the  weaker  sex,  and  the  gentle 
ties  of  pure  conjugal  love,  had  been  one  of  the  earliest  evidences 
of  the  new  Christian  life,  and  the  women  were  worthy  of  the  men, 
brave  and  faithful.  We  have  to  try  to  imagine  what  was  meant 
in  these  words  : 

Go  with  me  to  the  savages  of  Melanesia,  to  live  or  to  die. 

So  they  went  on  in  the  glory  of  their  youth,  and  self-consecra- 
tion. We  hear  no  more  of  them :  they  may  on  some  sad  day 
have  been  killed  and  devoured  by  their  Cannibal  flock,  to  whom 
they  came  bringing  life- everlasting,  cheerfully  surrendering  their 
bodies  to  Him,  to  whom  they  had  entrusted  their  souls,  in  the 
morning  of  their  pure  and  unsullied  lives ;  or  they  may  have 
lived  on,  to  be  the  centres  of  a  family,  or  a  village,  of  Christian 
men  and  women,  who  had  forgotten,  as  well  as  abandoned, 
their  bad  old  customs.  All  these  things  lie  in  the  hand  of  the 
Almighty,  and,  as  far  as  poor  human  creatures  were  concerned, 
it  mattered  not,  if  they  had  given  their  hearts  to  God.  But 
what  a  lesson  it  is  to  the  gilded  and  pampered  youth  of  this  so- 
called  Christian  country,  where  the  cost  of  self-sacrifice  is  so 
closely  calculated,  and  where  in  many  a  heart  the  question  has 
never  presented  itself,  "What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  ?" 

Thus  far  I  have  alluded  with  honour,  and  praise,  and  fervent 
congratulation,  to  the  labours  of  our  brethren  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,  and  the 
Presbyterian  Missionary  Societies  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland, 
Australia  and  Canada,  who  have  laboured  with  such  success  in 
Polynesia,  and  in  Fiji,  the  Loyalty  Islands,  and  the  New 
Hebrides,  which  last  three  are  a  part  of  Melanesia.  As  I  proceed 
onwards  I  come  into  contact  with  the  great  and  venerable  names 
of  Bishop  Selwyn  and  Bishop  Patteson,  who  approached  the 
Region  from  New  Zealand.  In  their  conceptions  of  Church 
organization  ihey  were  very  far  apart  from  their  excellent  pre- 
decessors, but  they  were  both  large-hearted  men,  and  recognized 
good  and  true  work,  when  they  saw  it.     Bishop  Selwyn  writes : 


(     i8    ) 

I  am  much  drawn  to  the  L.  M.  S.  by  the  Native  Teachers,  men,  who  in  the 
infancy  of  their  faith  have  left  home  and  friends  to  live  among  men  of  another 
speech,  and  in  the  lowest  depths  of  barbarism,  as  the  pioneers  of  the  Gospel, 
by  which  the  European  Missionary  may  enter  and  take  possession.  My  feelings 
are  so  strong  and  so  full  of  affection  towards  these  faithful  men,  with  whom 
the  affmity  of  the  Maori  language  to  their  Native  idioms  enables  me  to  com- 
municate freely,  that  I  lose  no  opportunity  of  showing  them  kindness. 

The  Bishop,  however,  saw  the  objection,  that  it  was  not 
likely,  that  men  of  that  class  would  make  much  impression  on 
the  Heathen  mind  :  he  thought,  also,  that  it  was  lowering  to  the 
whole  character  of  Mission-work  to  confide  to  a  subordinate 
agency  the  preliminary  operations  of  a  Mission,  which,  by  the 
nature  of  the  case,  involve  greater  danger  and  require  more  self- 
denial.  If  there  be  danger  of  life  to  the  British  iMissionaries, 
surely  (said  he)  this  is  part  of  the  duty,  which  the  Servants  and 
Soldiers  of  the  Cross,  who  are  best  acquainted  with  their  Master's 
will,  would  claim  for  themselves.  If  there  be  no  danger,  then 
the  chief  argument  for  Native  agency  falls  to  the  ground  :  it 
seems  foreign  to  the  high  and  self-denying  principle  of  Christian 
love  to  expose  a  fellow-creature  to  danger,  because  his  life  is 
held  to  be  of  less  value  than  that  of  his  British  brethren. 

My  reply  is,  that  in  the  sight  of  God  the  life  of  the  ignorant 
Polynesian  Teacher  is  not  of  less  value  than  that  of  the  Doctor 
of  Divinity  from  England.  But  the  Admiral  and  General  do  not 
volunteer  on  the  forlorn  hopes,  they  leave  it  to  the  younger  and 
less  distinguished  men  :  there  are  portions  of  the  Mission  duties, 
which  the  Native  Teacher  could  not  discharge  ;  they  can  keep 
no  accounts,  write  no  reports,  superintend  no  great  organization  ; 
but  they  can  hold  the  fort,  they  can  pave  the  way,  they  can 
conciliate  good  will,  they  can  bear  up  under  the  climate  arid 
hard  life ;  if  they  fall,  their  place  can  be  filled  ;  when  men  like 
Selwyn  and  Patteson  fall,  the  vacancy  is  hard  to  supply.  And 
the  good  Bishop  did  not  act  up  to  the  above  expressed  opinion. 
He  organized  a  still  more  refined  and  elaborate  system  of  Native 
Teachers.  The  maximum  of  success  hoped  for  was  the  loan  of 
a  few  lads  from  the  different  Islands,  born  and  bred  in  heathen- 
ism, on  whom  the  influence  of  Christianity  could  be  brought  to 
bear.  The  Bishop  had  a  vision  of  groups  of  boys  entrusted  to 
his  care,  and  then  returning  to  their  homes,  as  in  some  sort 
Missionaries,  and  again  and  again  coming  to  the  College,  first 
at  Auckland  in  New  Zealand,  and  subsequently  at  Norfolk  Island, 
or  Sugar  Loaf,  a//as  ^lota  Island,  in  the  Banks'  Islands  Group, 
for  further  training.  Some  would,  in  course  of  time,  be  ordained, 
and  be  sent  bark  with  a  force,  which  no  European  could  hope 
to  possess,  to  impress  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  their  heathen 
brethren,  and  to  build  up  a  Church  of  Christ  in  these  Islands. 

And  his  dream  has   been   realized.      It  was  set  on  foot  by 


(     19    ) 

Patteson,  the  son  of  his  adoption,  and  brought  to  perfection  by 
the  present  Bishop,  his  son  after  the  flesh.  It  was  rightly  con- 
sidered, that  without  training  Native  Teachers  were  quite 
incapable  of  conveying  definite  truth  to  the  Natives ;  yet  the 
Gospel  message,  if  rightly  understood,  and  freed  from  the  hard 
shell  of  dogma  and  shibboleth,  is  very  simple.  Bishop  Patteson 
expressed  himself,  that  the  careful  training  of  picked  scholars 
for  future  INlissionaries  was  the  most  important  part  of  his  work, 
that  he  must  provide  for  the  multiplication  of  Native  Mission- 
aries to  aid  the  permanent  development  of  his  Mission.  He 
soon  threw  some  of  his  own  fire  into  the  party  of  Melanesian 
lads,  all  speaking  different  languages,  but  taught  to  understand 
the  one  lingua  franca  of  Mota.  This  was  a  sample  of  his 
catechism  : 

Q.  What  means  does  God  employ  to  make  His  will  known  to  us  } 

A.   He  uses  men  to  teach. 

Q.  Can  they  do  so  by  themselves  } 

A.   No  ;  but  God  makes  them  able. 

Q.  How  \idi\& you  heard  the  Gospel  "i 

A.   Because  God  sent  jw/  to  us. 

Q.  How  are  the  people  still  in  ignorance  to  hear  it  } 

(The  scholars  looked  shy,  and  some  said  softly), 

A.    We  must  teach  them. 

Yes,  indeed  you  must,  replied  the  Bishop. 

The  material  was  supplied  in  abundance,  as  the  good  ship, 
the  Southern  Cross,  performed  its  annual  vo}'age  of  mercy  from 
island  to  island.  Selwyn  the  elder  had  said,  that  the  white  corks 
were  only  to  float  the  black  net,  and  so  it  proved.  In  the  last  year 
of  his  life  (and  I  knew  him  and  Selwyn,  when  I  was  a  boy 
at  Eton),  Bishop  Patteson  writes : 

The  elder  scholars  talk  and  arrange  among  themselves  plans  for  helping  the 
Natives  of  the  other  islands.  Edward  of  Mota  volunteers  to  go  to  Florida  ; 
K.  and  his  wife  to  Santa  Maria  ;  Robert  P.  and  wife  to  Matlav  ;  John  Nona  to 
Savo,  and  Andrew  Lalena  also.  This  is  very  comfortable  to  me  :  it  is  bo)id  fide 
giving  up  home  and  country  :  it  is  an  indication  of  a  real  desire  to  make  known 
the  Gospel  to  other  lands.  So  long  as  they  will  do  this,  so  long  I  think,  that 
we  may  have  the  blessed  assurance,  that  God's  holy  Spirit  is  indeed  working  in 
their  hearts.     Dear  Jellows  I  it  tnakes  me  tliankfiil .''' 

Within  the  year  a  native  canoe  floated  out  with  the  tide,  bear- 
ing a  body,  marked  with  five  wounds,  and  a  palm-branch.  The 
Bishop  had  shown  the  Melanesian  lads  the  way  to  live  and  to 
die,  and  many  instances  have  occurred,  both  before  and  after, 
of  their  readiness  to  take  up  the  Cross  for  the  spiritual  welfare 
of  the  heathen,  their  neighbours,  but  still  strangers  to  them 
in  blood,  language,  and  customs. 

The  time  came,  when  the  feet  of  the  messengers  of  Good 
Tidings  were  to  advance  further  North,  and  occupy  the  Island  of 


(       20      ) 

New  Guinea,  the  greatest  in  the  world,  and  the  smaller  islands 
in  Torres  Straits  to  the  South,  and  the  Duke  of  York's  Island  in 
St.  George's  Straits  to  the  North.  The  pioneer  European  Mis- 
sionaries advanced  with  their  volunteer  army  of  Native  Teachers 
from  the  Islands  of  the  South  Sea,  from  Tahiti,  Rarotonga,  Samoa, 
and  the  Loyalty  Islands,  twenty-eight  in  number.  They  had 
counted  the  cost  and  were  ready :  when  their  labours  had  con- 
tinued for  more  than  ten  years,  they  had  helped  to  raise  up  a 
school  of  Native  Teachers,  who  belonged  to  New  Guinea.  So 
sure  it  is,  that  the  Lord's  harvest  is  ever  ready,  if  we  only  have 
faith  enough  to  go  in  and  gather  it ;  and  in  Murray  Island  was 
established  a  training  institution  of  one  hundred  New  Guinea 
boys  to  hand  on  the  lamp  to  the  regions  beyond.  No  more 
recruits  were  sent  for  from  the  distant  Southern  Islands :  they 
had  accomplished  their  blessed  work,  and,  as  the  New  Guinea 
staff  of  Native  Teachers  became  efficient,  the  old  men  from 
Rarotonga  and  Tonga,  on  whom  the  climate  had  told  preju- 
dicially, were  sent  back  laden  with  blessings,  blessings  from 
those,  that  had  been  once  ready  to  perish,  to  their  island-homes. 
There  is  still  much  land  to  occupy :  the  advancing  lines  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society  are  but  on  the  south-west  coast; 
the  Church  of  Australia  proposes  to  occupy  stations  here  also : 
the  Wesleyan  Society  is  as  yet  only  on  the  Islands  of  New  Britain, 
New  Ireland,  and  the  Duke  of  York's  Island ;  but,  working  on 
the  same  lines,  they  will  advance  conquering  and  to  conquer. 

Are  these  things  true  ?  Are  they  only  the  fancy-pictures  of 
excited  piety.''  One  traveller,  well  known  as  an  explorer,  I\Ir. 
Wilfrid  Powell,  passes  a  severe  judgment  on  the  want  of  tact  and 
patience,  evidenced  by  some  of  them  in  New  Britain ;  but  he 
narrates  as  an  eye-witness,  how  the  bodies  of  four  Teachers  were 
sold  in  pieces  to  the  cannibal  inhabitants  of  the  village,  and  an 
attempt  was  made  (fortunately  in  vain)  to  get  hold  of  their  wives 
and  children.  Mr.  Powell  took  part  in  the  rescue,  and  writes  as 
an  eye-witness  of  the  perils,  to  which  these  intrepid  servants  of 
the  Cross  were  exposed.  On  the  south  of  New  Guinea  INIr. 
Lyne,  an  Australian  newspaper-reporter,  quotes  the  report  of  a 
]\Iissionary  to  the  following  effect: 

How  valuable  were  the  labours  of  the  South  Sea  Islanders  (men  of  Rarotonga 
and  elsewhere).  The  Teacher  at  Fort  Moresby  is  one  of  the  foremost  men  ; 
when  the  European  gold-seekers  were  sick,  he  went  inland  to  carry  them  in 
and  tend  them  ;  yet  his  father  was  a  Cannibal.  At  the  east  end  of  New 
Guinea,  where  cannibalism  still  flourishes,  the  Teacher  is  a  Loyalty  Islander, 
and  has  himself  been  a  Cannibal.  These  cases  show  what  the  Go>pel  can  do. 
The  perils,  to  which  they  are  exposed,  are  very  great.  The  murder  of  a 
number  of  them  is  still  fresh  in  our  memory,  and  they  have  perils  from  wild 
beasts  also. 

Mr.  Lyne  had  accompanied  the  expedition,  which  was  sent 
to  annex  the  Southern  part  of  the  Island,  and  he  knew  what  he 


(      21       ) 

was  writing.  Mr.  Romilly,  the  Special  Commissioner  for  New 
Guinea,  writes,  tliat  the  Missionaries  commenced  a  system  of 
planting  Native  Teachers  along  the  South  coast  of  New  Guinea; 
some  died  of  fever ;  soriie  were  murdered  by  the  Natives ;  but 
their  general  success  in  establishing  a  firm  footing,  and  gaining 
an  ascendency  over  the  Natives,  wherever  they  have  been,  shows 
clearly,  that  they  are  intelligent  and  courageous  men,  with  a 
great  aptitude  for  languages.  It  is  to  them  that  the  zu/uye  man  in 
difficult  ks  always  ttinis  for  protection,  and  it  is  always  accorded  him. 

Time  would  fail  to  tell  of  other  Missions  and  other  countries ; 
the  short  of  the  matter  is,  wherever  Missions  have  flourished, 
it  will  be  found  that  Native  Teachers  have  been  employed  ; 
wherever  they  have  been  trusted,  they  have  never  disappointed 
expectations. 

Round  the  inhabitants  of  the  poor  islands  of  the  South  Sea 
still  hover  the  phantoms  of  dying  Heathendom,  the  gods  of  the 
water  and  of  the  land,  which  their  ancestors  had  blindly  wor- 
shipped. In  a  remarkably  practical  way  the  early  Missionaries 
had  learnt  the  Grace  to  wait  God's  time ;  to  be  rebuffed,"  but  not 
cast  down  ;  to  be  persecuted,  but  not  abashed.  As  their  own 
coral  zoophytes  went  on  slowly  and  slowly  building  their  reefs, 
which  last  for  ever,  so  the  Grace  of  God  was  found  working  out 
of  sight ;  but  the  fruits  were  visible.  From  Island  to  Island  the 
fight  went  on,  until  the  whole  of  Polynesia  was  conquered  to 
Christ ;  each  Island  had  its  martyr-tomb,  its  first  Christian,  the 
forlorn  hope  that  invaded  the  Island.  The  Natives  devoured  the 
saint,  and  yet  the  doctrine  preached  by  that  saint  fed  them  with 
a  new  life,  and  passed  into  the  flesh  and  blood  of  their  children. 
The  fight  in  Melanesia  will  still  last  many  a  long  year.  To 
some  Islands  the  message  will  have  come  too  late,  for  the 
man-stealers  and  liquor-dealers,  aided  by  European  diseases, 
previously  unknown,  will  have  done  their  fatal  work.  The  weak 
new  Christians  cannot  entirely  rid  themselves  of  the  old  idea  of 
Nature-worship  :  the  fearful  hurricanes,  the  famine,  the  epidemic, 
the  blight,  suggest  to  them  that,  though  their  temples  and  wor- 
ship were  destroyed,  the  God  of  Nature  still  hungered  for  human 
sacrifices,  still  claimed  their  hecatombs.  In  some  Islands, 
notably  Easter  Island,  the  gigantic  idols  cut  out  of  the  rock 
cannot  be  effaced,  except  by  blasting  the  everlasting  hills.  So 
they  remain,  like  the  great  statues  of  Egypt,  in  their  awful 
solitude. 

What,  then,  sustained  this  wonderful  family  of  Teachers,  ready 
to  hand,  as  if  they  had  been  waiting  to  be  sent ;  ready  to  go, 
men  or  women,  wherever  they  were  sent  ?  The  answer  is, 
that  they  ivere  armed  ivith  Truth.  It  was  that  alone,  which  could 
give  victory  in  such  an  unequal  struggle.  Their  strength  lay 
in  their   simple,    fresh,    unsophisticated,   virgin  Christianity ;  a 


(      22      ) 

heaven-sent  reverence  for  a  spiritual  Teacher  springs  from  the 
very  spirituality,  that  is  taught.  There  is  a  reality  in  God's  em- 
bassy:  Death  will  not  kill  it;  ill-treatment  will  not  get  rid  of  it ; 
Devils  hear  and  tremble,  but  the  savage  children  of  Nature  listen, 
and  are  astonished,  accept  and  believe.  These  Teachers  were 
not  wise,  nor  highly  educated ;  but  they  had  the  free  gift  of  a 
beautiful  language,  and  a  marvellous  gift  of  acquiring  new 
languages,  and  in  their  simple  faith  in  what  they  had  been  so  lately 
taught  themselves,  they  took  their  hearers  back  to  the  hidden, 
hitherto  unrealized,  sources  of  human  existence.  They  found  a 
standing-room  for  argument  behind  the  altars,  behind  the  idols, 
behind  the  shibboleths,  and  led  on  to  the  fundamental  axiom 
of  right  and  wrong,  which  can  be  found  in  the  depths  of  every 
human  heart,  if  we  know  how  to  look  for  it.  They  showed  to 
their  hearers,  that  the  service  of  God  consisted  not  in  words 
or  magic  forms,  or  ceremonies,  or  dogma,  or  ritual,  or  pra)er- 
wheels,  but  in  personal  contact  with  the  Risen  Saviour;  in 
personal  holiness  of  thought,  word,  and  deed  ;  in  gentleness 
and  love  to  all  without  exception ;  in  obedience  to  the  everlasting 
law  of  duty,  which  lifts  the  head  to  the  heavens,  and  still  leaves 
the  feet  touching  the  hard  floor  of  daily  life.  Without  Christ 
such  attainments  passed  all  poor  human  strength.  Christ  must 
be  the  motive  power,  for  Christianity  is  Christ. 

These  examples,  these  touching  stories,  have  come  up  from 
these  unknown  regions  for  our  use,  for  the  use  of  the  nascent 
Christian  Churches  of  the  great  and  civilized  countries  of  India, 
China,  and  Japan.  The  unconverted  Heathen  had  found  out,  that 
it  was  well  to  die  for  the  welfare  of  one's  people  :  the  Christian 
discovered,  that  it  was  still  better  to  live  for  them,  though  this 
proved  a  much  longer,  more  tedious,  and  difficult  service.  It 
was  out  of  all  human  expectation  and  worldly  experience,  that 
converted  cannibals  and  cruel  idolaters  should,  underthe  touch  of 
God's  Spirit,  not  only  become  Christians,  but  become  daring  and 
constant  Evangelists.  God's  Greatness  flows  round  our  Littleness, 
and  His  rest  encompasses  our  restlessness.  One  thing  is  clear, 
that  there  are  no  more  islands  to  discover  and  convert,  no  new 
languages  to  be  found  out ;  but  in  the  vast  populations  of  India 
and  China  there  are  millions,  to  whom  the  Gospel  is  an  unknown 
thing,  and  will  remain  so,  unless  the  Native  Churches  at  once 
become  the  centres  of  Missionary  effort,  and  send  out  their  Native 
Teachers.  None  of  the  frightful  perils,  which  attended  the  South 
Sea  Teachers,  need  be  feared.  If  the  Native  Churches  rise  to 
the  level  of  their  opportunities  and  obligations,  they  may  be  a  ray 
of  light  in  Asia  and  Africa,  as  the  Polynesian  Churches  have  been 
in  Oceania.  God  is  not  slack  in  supplying  His  agents,  if  the 
heart  of  Man  is  roused  to  a  sense  of  the  dignity,  and  greatness  of 
the  work. 


(     23     ) 

Without  doubt,  those  who  love  their  Master,  and  believe  His 
precious  promises,  will  rejoice,  even  when  one  poor  Island, 
after  expenditure  of  labour,  and  precious  lives,  is  added  to  His 
Kingdom.  The  value  of  redeemed  souls  is  not  estimated  in 
earthly  balances,  or  by  human  calculations.  The  Lord  knoweth 
them  that  are  His.  But  it  is  a  cause  of  encouragement  for  the 
future  and  thanksgiving  for  the  past,  to  regard  this  blessed  chain 
of  Missions  spread  like  a  necklace  of  Pearls  from  the  shores  of 
New  Guinea  and  Australia  right  up  to  the  gates  of  the  Morning 
in  Easter  Island,  almost  within  touch  of  South  America.  Our 
knowledge  of  the  languages  and  customs  of  these  Races  has  been 
collected  solely  by  the  Missionaries.  The  civilization  of  these 
ends  of  the  world  was  not  to  be  accomplished  by  Guns  or  Ships 
of  War.  Commerce,  Statecraft  or  Colonization,  would  not  help 
these  helpless  races  for  the  short  period  of  existence  left  to 
them  by  the  ruthless  Law  of  Progress :  it  has  rather  aided  their 
destruction  by  substituting  Rum,  Gunpowder, 'and  Loathsome 
Diseases,  for  Cannibalism,  Human  Sacrifices,'  and  Witchcraft. 
But  the  Missionary  spirit  of  Europe  and  America  has  proved 
equal  to  the  occasion,  and  a  voice  stronger  than  that  of  the 
Lust  of  Gold,  Earth-greed,  and  Annexation,  has  been  heard. 
Instead  of  seeking  for  gold,  the  true-hearted  Missionary  has 
given  something  better  than  fine  gold:  instead  of  sending  out 
foreign  Governors  and  Captains  to  rule  over  these  tribes,  a 
domination  for  good  has  been  established  over  their  souls  by 
men  of  their  own  colour  and  race,  but  who  have  been  trans- 
formed into  Angels  of  Light  by  the  life-giving  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Instead  of  attempting  to  annex  these  far-off  Islands 
to  an  Earthly  Kingdom,  the  Messengers  of  Good  Tidings  have 
given  to  these  inhabitants  of  the  ends  of  the  world  an  inherit- 
ance in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  A  stream  of  light  has  been 
left  on  the  waters  to  mark  the  course  of  the  Mission  Ship,  the 
light  of  Human  Knowledge,  Christian  Culture,  and  Divine 
Pardon.  The  one  great  object  of  Human  Existence  is  to  dis- 
cover the  knowledge  of  God's  dealings  with  his  Creatures,  and 
the  one  great  duty  of  those  Creatures  is  to  love,  honour,  and 
worship  that  great  Creator,  no  longer  unknown.  This  object 
has  been  obtained  :  this  duty  has  been  performed. 

Address  at  Strangauays,  Manchester,  Nov.  1886 
(with  additions,  1888). 


25   ) 


III. 

THE  DUTY  OF  THE  YOUTH  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

Tu  regere  imperio  populos,  Romane,  memento. — ViRG.  ^n,  VI, 

I  HAVE  been  asked  to  give  an  address  on  the  subject  of  Christian 
Missions  to  the  oNIahometans  and  Heathens,  You  will  under- 
stand, that  I  am  neither  a  Missionary,  nor  an  ordained  INIinister 
of  any  Church  ;  yet  perhaps  I  have  a  greater  and  a  wider  practical 
and  acquired  knowledge  of  this  subject  than  has  fallen  to  the 
lot  of  any  but  a  few ;  for  my  study  has  been  ubiquitous,  and  in 
the  Map  of  the  World  I  can  lay  my  hand  down  on  any  point, 
and  tell  you,  what  are  the  people  there,  what  language  they 
speak,  and  what  INIission  is  working  among  them,  if  any  is 
working  at  all. 

I  am  not  in  the  least  blinded  to  the  numerous  defects  of  the 
systems,  and  of  the  individuals.  When  critics  from  the  outside 
attack  Missions,  Critics  from  the  inside  can  only  rejoice,  that  so 
many  of  their  weaknesses  are  concealed,  and  time  is  given  to 
correct,  improve,  and  modify  :  in  fact,  the  great  work  of  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  was  not  entrusted  to  angels,  but  to  weak,  erring 
men,  who  have  done  what  they  could,  and  earnestly  desire  to 
do  better. 

The  very  idea  of  Missions  on  the  scale,  on  which  it  is  now 
conducted,  is  a  new  one.  In  1838  and  1839  I  came  up  to  this 
College  to  try  for  the  Balliol-Scholarship.  Lord  Chief-Justice 
Coleridge,  Bishop  Mackarness  of  Oxford,  Canon  Furse,  and 
Dean  Bradley  of  Westminster,  were  with  me,  and  Archbishop 
Tait  was  one  of  our  Examiners :  now,  if  anybody  at  that  period 
had  asked  about  INIissions,  or,  if  the  idea  had  been  suggested 
to  any  of  us,  that  the  career  of  a  Missionary  was  a  grand  and 
worthy  one,  we  should  have  been  astonished :  we  knew  as  little 
of  Missions  as  of  Chinese  ^Nlusic. 

I  learnt  my  lesson  in  this  way.  I  left  England  in  1842,  and 
had  never  heard  of  the  subject,  though  my  father  was  a  Clergy- 
man :  but  in  Calcutta  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  Bishop  Daniel 
Wilson :  it  so  happened,  that  I  had  a  sum  of  /  80,  awarded  as  a 
prize  for  proficiency  in  an  Oriental  Language,  to  dispose  of,  and 


(     26     ) 

Bishop  Wilson  suggested  the  profitable  investment  in  the  different 
Missions,  and  he  told  me  all  about  the  Church  Missionary- 
Society,  and  I  took  his  advice,  and  a  profitable  investment  it  has 
proved,  paying  me  cent  for  cent :  for  I  had  a  new  world  opened 
out  to  me,  and  in  the  course  of  my  service  I  visited  every  Mission 
of  all  denominations  in  the  North  of  India,  and  for  a  quarter  of 
a  century  the  subject  became  a  joy  to  me,  and,  since  I  have  left 
India,  it  has  become  the  leading  object  of  my  very  existence, 
for  independently  of  its  intrinsic  value  to  my  soul,  it  has  led  out 
to  various  studies,  notably  Language,  and  Comparative  Religion; 
it  has  taught  me  Geography,  Ethnology,  and  the  Study  of  Customs 
of  the  World  ;  it  has  introduced  to  me  scores  of  friends  and 
correspondents,  it  has  opened  out  rich  mines  of  study,  and  un- 
limited vistas  of  thought.  In  such  occupation  there  are  no 
Rivalries,  no  Jealousies,  no  seeking  of  Pelf,  no  Ambition,  no 
Disappointments  ;  the  very  atmosphere  is  elevating  :  the 
environments  holy  and  pure.  Without  alluding  to  the  deep 
spirituality  of  the  work,  the  intellect,  the  talents,  and  the  power 
of  application,  and  organization,  find  free  scope.  The  Platform, 
the  Press,  and  the  Council  Chamber,  present  an  unbounded  field 
of  interest.  Enter  one  of  our  great  Committee-Rooms  in  London, 
such  as  that  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and  the  Bible 
House,  and  you  will  find  an  assembly  of  men  of  all  ages  and 
callings :  the  Banker,  the  Lawyer,  the  General,  the  Governor 
of  Provinces,  or  the  Heads  of  great  State-Departments,  the 
INIerchant  and  the  Man  of  Business,  intermixed  with  Bishops, 
and  Deans,  and  Archdeacons,  and  the  Clergy  of  the  Metropolis, 
and  of  the  Country,  and  aged  Missionaries.  What  are  they 
doing  }  They  are  administering  the  affairs  of  a  Kingdom 
greater  than  that  of  Queen  Victoria.  Despatches  come  in,  an-d 
orders  go  out  to  the  ends  of  the  World,  to  Japan,  India  and 
China,  to  North  America,  Vancouver's  Island,  New  Zealand  and 
Africa,  Regions  differing  from  each  other  171  toto  in  Language, 
in  Customs,  in  Religion,  in  Culture,  in  their  Political  situation, 
but  united  by  one  holy  girdle. 

Now  do  you  think,  that  any  of  these  laymen  in  the  period  of 
their  lives,  when  they  might  enjoy  well-earned  repose,  would 
thus  from  week  to  week,  until  absolutely  debarred  by  increasing 
infirmities,  spend  hour  after  hour  in  a  room  in  the  City  of 
London,  distant  many  miles  from  their  homes,  if  they  did  not 
consider  the  work  real,  profitable,  and  elevating  }  I  need  scarcely 
say,  that  there  is  no  remuneration  whatever,  or  pecuniary 
advantage.  I  know  that  I  should  not.  I  have  abundant  employ- 
ment for  my  time  in  various  fields  of  Literature  and  Science ; 
but  I  share  in  the  feeling,  entertained  by  many  others,  that  the 
least  return,  that  we  can  make  for  health,  and  strength,  and  life 
marvellously  preserved,  is  to  dedicate  our  remaining  powers,  and 


(      27      ) 

unexhausted  talents,  to  the  Service  of  Him,  whose  hand  has 
protected  us,  and  brought  us  safe  home  again.  No  one,  more- 
over, can  have  attended  such  Committees,  who  does  not  feel 
himself  stronger  as  a  Christian,  and  better  as  a  man,  from  the 
wholesome  contact,  and  ennobling  environment.  The  Indian 
official  has  spent  his  life  in  the  midst  of  realities,  and  anything, 
approaching  to  a  sham,  or  an  amiable  job,  or  a  deception,  is  to 
him  intolerable,  and  the' greatest  evidence  to  the  reality  of  the 
work  in  India  is,  that  those,  who  have  seen  it  in  the  Field,  are  so 
willing  and  eager  to  support  it  in  the  Council-Chamber.  I  am 
notoriously  very  bold  and  outspoken,  and  never  afraid  to  call 
a  spade  a  spade,  and  expose  an  amiable  delusion,  as  well  as  a 
pestilent  fraud,  or  an  abominable  crime. 

In  one  particular  the  Missionaries  resemble  each  other  :  in 
others  they  are  totally  diiferent.  They  do  not  work  for  stipends, 
or  honour,  or  the  praise  of  men,  but  impelled  by  higher  motives, 
the  Service  of  their  Master  :  and  in  every  part  of  the  World  they 
have  shown  themselves  to  be  the  Champions  of  the  oppressed, 
the  reprovers  of  evil  acts  and  evil  customs,  the  protectors  against 
bad  laws :  the  Missionary  is  never  popular  with  the  British 
Colonist,  or  man  of  Commerce,  because  he  stands  up  for  the 
Natives  :  it  is  his  duty  to  do  so,  and  the  hearts  of  Britons  are 
with  him  in  his  often  unequal  and  unsuccessful  struggles. 

As  to  the  Methods,  they  vary.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  same 
yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever;  but  the  mode  of  presenting  Him 
to  the  non-Christian  must  vary  according  to  the  environment  of 
the  particular  tribe  :  injudicious  conduct  would  hinder  the  work: 
it  can  be  done  by  Preaching,  or  by  Teaching,  by  distributing 
Tracts,  or  portions  of  the  Bible,  by  House  to  House  visitation, 
by  Hospitals,  by  Orphanages.  All  that  Science  can  suggest,  all 
that  Art  can  supply,  the  stored-up  wisdom  of  the  Past,  and  the 
vaunted  intelligence  and  forethought  of  the  Present,  are  well 
consecrated  to  this  Holy  War.  We  offer  to  the  Lord  the  first- 
fruits  of  our  intelligence,  the  choicest  of  our  flocks.  The 
treasury  of  the  Lord  is  for  ever  full,  for  it  is  the  Souls  of  His 
People.  It  is  a  privilege  to  belong  to  such  an  Association,  for  it 
brings  back  rich  blessings  :  it  is  thrice  blessed,  blessing  the  poor 
Heathen,  blessing  the  Missionaries,  and  blessing  the  Members 
of  the  Church,  which  supplies  the  means  and  men,  in  their 
hearths,  and  their  homes,  in  their  bodies,  and  their  souls. 

Prayer,  faithful,  continuous,  and  nothing  doubting,  is  the 
lever,  which  moves  a  Mission.  Every  Meeting  of  the  Committee 
is  begun,  continued,  and  ended  in  prayer.  If  the  walls  of  the 
Committee-room  could  speak,  they  would  tell  how,  when  any 
question  of  sore  difficulty,  acute  difference  of  opinion,  humbling 
of  spirit,  or  sad  despondency,  arose,  recourse  was  had  to  the 
Throne  of  Grace,  and  often,  before  the  call  was  made,  has  come 


(      28      ) 

the  answer.  Like  the  dew,  which  rises  up  to  Heaven,  and 
descends  in  fructifying  showers,  so  the  Prayers  have  brought 
down  rich  blessings  on  the  work  and  workers.  Those,  who 
manage  the  affairs  of  evangelizing  the  Heathen,  must  themselves 
live,  as  in  the  continual  presence  of  the  Almighty,  striving  day 
by  day  to  qualify  themselves  to  be  chosen  instruments  of  His 
Will  :  they,  and  their  Missionaries,  must  be  converted  men 
themselves  first,  before  they  commence  the  task  to  convert  the 
Heathen  ! 

Another  thing  must  be  remembered  :  the  Missionary  must  be 
brave  as  well  as  good  :  he  must  have  counted  the  cost,  and  be 
ready  to  offer  his  life,  if  it  is  called  for.  We  may  feel  for,  and 
pray  for  our  INIissionaries,  who  are  in  peril,  but  we  dare  not  invoke 
the  Arm  of  the  Flesh  in  their  favour :  our  weapons  are  not 
carnal.  And  again  the  Missionary  must  not  raise  his  hand 
under  any  provocation  against  a  Native,  except  in  the  extreme 
case  of  Life,  and  Female  Honour.  Whatever  the  Traveller  or 
the  Merchant  may  do,  he  at  least  must  remember,  that  he  came 
to  save  the  souls,  not  to  flog  the  bodies,  of  the  Natives.  That 
INIissionary  must  have  imperfectly  read  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul, 
who  would  thus  forget  his  holy  calling. 

The  Missionary-cause  is  now  a  great  and  powerful  one. 
Nothing  is  more  remarkable  than  the  history  of  the  cause,  the 
biography  of  the  great  MovemeJit.  It  was  first  conceived  by 
earnest  (shall  we  say  inspired  ?)  men,  who  conveyed  the  notion 
to  others :  they  prayed  over  it,  and  at  length  some  bolder  one 
attempted  it :  these  bolder  ones  were  the  "  Moravians."  The 
first  attempts  were  small,  and  therefore  in  the  eyes  of  men 
contemptible  :  the  period  of  derision  had  to  be  passed  through  : 
but  strange  to  say  the  infection  spread  :  a  great  gust  of  opinion 
passed  over  the  country :  more  and  more  were  convinced. 

Truth  sinks  into  a  man  by  its  own  weight.  Perhaps  in  the 
petulance  of  Youth  some  one  may  have  sneered  at  Missions  : 
but,  as  he  grows  older  and  wiser,  he  thinks  over  it,  and  some 
day  he  wakes  up  like  a  man  converted  in  his  sleep  :  there  is 
something  in  it.  The  earnest  man  talks  of  it  with  his  fellows, 
and  at  length  it  becomes  the  law  of  his  life,  the  one  object  of 
his  existence.  He  ascends  a  tower  in  his  mind,  and  looks  out 
upon  the  world,  its  nations,  its  tongues :  Geography,  History, 
Ethnology,  Reading,  Travel,  Conversation,  all  drive  the  fact 
into  him,  that  he  is  in  possession  of  a  Treasure,  which  has 
made  him  and  his  people  wise  and  strong,  and  that  this 
Treasure  is  denied  to  others.  The  generous  feelings,  that  underlie 
the  character  of  each  one  of  us,  are  aroused,  and  set  into 
motion. 

Forty  years  ago  there  was  a  deficiency  of  facts  ;  now  there 
is  an  abundance  :    not  the  heated   and    coloured   accounts   of 


(      29      ) 

enthusiasts,  fanatics,  and  pietists,  but  the  testimony  of 
Governors,  Statesmen,  Men  of  Science,  Men  of  Commerce, 
who  have  seen  with  tkeir  eyes,  touched  with  their  hands,  not 
in  one  part  of  the  world,  but  all  round  the  Globe  ;  not  only 
among  the  civilized  races  of  Japan  and  India,  and  China,  but  the 
savages  of  North  America,  Africa  and  Oceania.  It  is  brought 
home  to  our  consciences,  that  in  this  Nineteenth  Century  there 
are  still  some  races  in  the  lowest  depths  of  degradation,  others 
in  a  low  round  of  culture :  cannibals,  polygamists,  sacrificers 
of  human  beings :  slaves  of  frightful  lusts,  and  abominable 
customs  :  murderers  of  their  parents,  murderers  of  their  own 
children :  murderers  of  their  wives,  lending  themselves  to 
horrible  magical  rites,  tortured  by  the  wildest  of  ideas.  Still 
God  has  not  forgotten  them:  no  sooner  does  the  Missionary 
land  among  them,  than  he  is  able  as  it  were  to  exorcise  them, 
to  bring  out  their  natural  goodness,  to  teach  men  to  be  brave 
without  being  cruel,  and  the  women  to  be  loving  and  tender,  and 
yet  not  immodest.  I  have  such  a  deep  conviction  of  the  good- 
ness of  our  Heavenly  Father,  that  I  cannot  admit  the  idea,  that 
He  has  made  such  a  difference  betwixt  the  races  of  the  Human 
Family,  that  all  cannot  come  to  Him,  if  the  call  reaches  their 
ears.  The  Soldier  cannot  do  this  great  work,  nor  the  Merchant, 
nor  the  Emigrant,  nor  the  Governor;  there  must  be  a  class  of 
men,  sent  out  with  the  wondrous  desire  of  saving  souls,  who 
count  not  their  lives  worth  having,  if  they  fail  in  doing  their  best 
to  accomplish  their  great  desire. 

The  annals  of  our  country  tell  us,  that  for  the  last  eighty  years 
this  has  been  going  on,  and  has  now  assumed  enormous  propor- 
tions, that  cannot  be  overlooked  by  the  Statesman,  or  the  Scholar. 
The  two  great  Universities  have  not  been  wanting.  I  do  not 
speak  for  one  shade  of  the  Church  of  England,  or  one  denomina- 
tion of  the  Church  of  Christ.  I  am  bold  to  say  that,  if  there 
could  be  found  a  motive  power  outside  of  Christianity,  I  should 
hail  it :  but  it  is  not  to  he  found.  Search  History,  ancient  and 
modern,  and  you  will  find,  that  for  such  peaceful  Conquest,  such 
benevolent  warfare,  such  soul-controlling  Government,  the  only 
motive  power  is  the  Love  of  Christ,  the  only  armoury,  that  can 
fit  you  for  the  Battle,  is  in  the  Bible.  The  true-hearted  Mission- 
ary does  not  approach  these  Savages  with  dogmas,  and  rituals, 
and  shibboleths,  and  canons  of  the  Church.  He  is  dressed  as 
an  ordinary  white  man,  and  his  Native  Assistants  as  ordinary 
Natives,  but  he  sets  an  example  of  a  Christian  life :  he  astonishes 
them  by  words  of  kindness  and  love :  his  wife  gets  acccess  to 
the  women  :  they  collect  the  children  :  suspicion  gradually 
disappears.  Nothing  so  entirely  astonishes  the  Savage,  as  the 
fact,  that  men  and  women  undergo  suffering  and  peril,  and  are 
ready  to  die,  not  for  their  own  profit,  but  for  the  welfare  of 


(    30    ) 

entire  strangers.  It  seems  to  their  untutored  minds,  that  gods, 
benevolent  gods,  and  not  lilce  their  own  gods  full  of  malice, 
have  come  to  the  Earth  :  and  as  the  Missionary  masters  the 
language,  he  communicates  to  his  hearers  the  first  elementary- 
notions  of  Christianity  :  respect  for  human  .life,  continence,  and 
purity  of  morals,  sanctity  of  the  Marriage-contract,  the  exis- 
tence of  a  God,  the  unity  of  the  Family  of  Man,  and  the  proper 
worship  of  God.  In  due  course  follow  Prayer,  and  Praise, 
and  Reading  of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  great  Mystery  of  the 
Incarnation,  and  the  Atonement. 

Schools,  and  Chapels,  Public  and  Private  Prayers,  a  sensible 
improvement  of  the  moral  tone  of  the  community,  a  destruction 
of  Idol-temples,  an  abandonment  of  bad  customs,  are  the  sure 
and  certain  consequences.  Search  and  read,  and  in  Germany, 
in  the  United  States  of  North  America,  in  Great  Britain,  you 
will  find  the  same  story,  narrated  with  impossibility  of  collusion, 
or  mistake :  the  light  is  not  hid  under  a  bushel :  the  story  is  not 
of  sanctimonious  deaths,  but  of  consistent  lives.  The  object 
is  not  to  make  Britons,  or  Germans,  or  Americans,  but  Christians, 
still  wearing  their  own  dress,  adhering  to  their  own  ancient 
customs,  living  after  their  own  way,  called  by  their  own  names, 
managing  their  own  churches,  ministered  to  by  their  own  country- 
men, but  living  new  lives,  in  temperance,  soberness,  chastity, 
and  Faith  in  the  Redeemer,  by  which  Faith  alone  they  can  be 
converted,  and  sustained  in  their  new  departure. 

But  neither  the  Native  Pastors,  nor  their  flocks,  are  angels : 
they,  like  the  Missionaries,  are  only  erring  men :  if  we  wish  to 
seek  out  Christians,  who  do  not  live  up  to  the  level  of  their 
faith,  we  need  not  go  out  of  our  own  Island.  We  read  and  hear 
of  much,  which  we  deplore.  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistles  to  the 
Corinthians  has  told  us  what  we  are  to  expect ;  there  are  spots 
on  our  vestments,  there  are  terrible  failings,  which  remind  us, 
that  we  are  mortal.  But  the  proportion  of  Evil  is  as  nothing  as 
compared  with  the  amount  of  Good,  the  steady  Progress,  the 
gradual  elevation  of  character,  and  softening  of  manners  under 
the  marvellous  influence  of  the  Grace  of  God.  In  my  old  age 
I  can  testify  to  the  mighty  change,  which  my  eyes  have  witnessed. 

And  even,  if  all,  that  is  narrated,  were  a  fable,  a  dream,  a  mere 
beautiful  Poem,  like  the  Odysse^  and  /Eneid,  there  is  another 
consideration.  We  have  done  our  duty.  It  was  our  bounden  duty, 
and  service,  to  plant :  it  is  the  Lord,  that  giveth  the  increase. 
Why  have  we  at  this  period  of  our  National  life  such  a  vast 
expansion  of  our  direct  and  indirect  influence  ?  Why  are  the 
ends  of  the  world.  Regions  which  Caesar  never  knew,  of  which 
the  Prophets  and  Evangelists  never  dreamed,  laid  open  to  us  } 
We  go  out  and  come  in  like  Kings  and  Rulers.  I  myself  at 
the  age  of  twenty-five  ruled  over  a  District  with  a  population 


(     31     ) 

of  a  quarter  of  a  Million,  alone  without  guards,  clothing  the 
iron  hand  in  the  velvet  glove,  and  swaying  men  by  a  moral 
influence.  Our  Merchants  have  a  sweep  far  exceeding  that  of 
Tyre :  wherever  our  cottons  can  go,  our  Bibles  must  go  also. 
Each  ship  and  each  camel  must  have  its  due  proportion  of 
clothing  for  the  body,  and  clothing  for  the  soul :  wherever  our 
soldiers  and  sailors  can  go,  our  Missionaries  must  go  also :  it  is 
not  a  question  of  policy  or  possibility,  but  of  Duty  :  it  must  needs 
be,  that  we  preach  the  Gospel :  woe  unto  us,-  if  we  do  not !  Some 
nations  have  the  will,  but  not  the  means  and  the  opportunities  ; 
other  nations  the  means,  but  not  the  will  :  but  God  be  praised, 
that  we  have  both  :  it  is  no  effort  to  us  to  send  out  one  thousand 
Missionaries,  and  to  maintain  and  support  them  :  it  elevates,  it 
spiritualizes,  the  Church  that  sends  them.  A  Missionary  spirit 
is  the  articulus  stantis  aut  cadentis  Ecclesicc,  and  Now  is  the  Time. 
We  cannot  say,  how  soon  our  arm  will  be  shortened,  and  our 
Sun  begin  to  set :  our  Commerce  may  fade  like  the  Tyrian  dye, 
and  our  ships  moulder  like  the  Venetian  Palaces :  if  we  are 
driven  out  of  India,  we  have  left  in  our  independent,  self- 
supporting,  self-governing.  Native  Churches,  a  monument  more 
enduring  than  brass,  and  breathing  stone,  and  it  will  be  said  of 
us  hereafter,  that  Great  Britain  in  the  day  of  her  might  gave  of 
her  best,  her  very  best,  to  her  subject-people,  and  that  best  gift 
is  the  most  enduring  one. 

And  do  not  grudge  the  loss  of  life.  Death  rides  behind  us  in 
every  Profession  at  home  or  abroad.  Our  young  men  perish, 
and  perish  proudly,  in  our  battles.  We  hear  of  the  last  words 
of  some 

Dulce  et  decorum  pro  patria  mori  ! 

And  Missionaries  male  and  female  are  never  wanting  for  the 
holy  war.  Some  die  early:  so  it  is  with  our  Statesmen,  our 
Scholars,  and  all  that  are  really  great.  No  true  life  is  long: 
their  career  reminds  us  of  the  half-hewn  stones,  which  we  find 
in  quarries,  just  about  to  be  used  for  some  great  Temple,  when 
the  work  was  broken  off,  and  the  workmen  left  the  quarry :  but 
there  is  this  difference,  that  our  Work  is  not  broken  off,  for  it  is 
continuous,  and  the  half-hewn  stone,  left  in  the  Lord's  quarry, 
has  done  the  work  assigned  to  it :  and  no  one  can  do  more. 

It  seems  a  bathos  to  descend  from  the  high  prowess  of  the 
Missionary,  and  to  allude  to  Science,  but  let  us  reflect,  how 
much  Science  owes  to  the  Missionary,  how  much  Philology, 
Geography,  Zoology,  Ethnology,  Medicine,  have  been  advanced 
by  the  Missionary.  It  was  not  his  proper  work,  but  incidentally 
in  his  progress  he  has  let  light  into  dark  places.  Where  would 
our  knowledge  of  the  2000  or  3000  languages  of  the  World  be, 
but  for  the    Missionary .?     In  his  luminous  path   through   the 


(      32      ) 

forest,  or  the  swamp,  and  the  desert,  he  leaves  a  trail  of  light : 
he  sends  home  some  precious  Text,  or  Vocabulary,  or  Grammar, 
revealing  new  forms  of  structure,  new  word-stores,  new  and 
wonderful  combinations  of  the  logic  and  symmetry  of  the  savage 
man,  that  cause  astonishment  in  the  study  and  the  class-room 
of  the  German  Scholars. 

The  first  text  is  the  Bible.  At  the  Congress  of  Orientalists 
at  Vienna,  September,  1885,  in  a  Hall,  full  of  Roman  Catholics, 
I  presented  to  the  Congress  translations  of  the  Bible,  or  of 
portions,  in  one  hundred  and  four  languages  of  Asia,  Africa, 
America,  and  Oceania,  spoken  by  two  hundred  millions,  and  all 
prepared  at  the  expense  of  the  great  Bible-Societies.  I  told 
them  what  they  were.  My  present  was  received  with  applause, 
and  placed  on  the  Shelves  of  the  Library  of  the  University  of 
Vienna. 

God  has  created  all  things  for  Himself.  We  take  credit  for 
the  discovery  of  a  new  Island,  or  River-Basin,  teeming  with 
thousands,  just  as  the  Conchologist  vaunts  of  having  found  a 
new  species,  a  variety  of  shell ;  and  yet  God  has  had  His  eye  on 
all  these  His  children  for  ages  past,  and  it  is  by  His  will  and 
pleasure,  that  they  are  now  revealed  to  Western  Nations.  The 
Angels  of  Heaven  have  been  watching  over  them,  as  much  as 
over  us:  they  are  as  precious  in  His  sight,  and  the  Saviour  looked 
down  from  the  Cross  on  them,  and  died  and  rose  again  for  them, 
We  are  but  instruments,  imperfect  instruments,  in  His  hand  to 
carry  the  saving  Truth  to  these  races,  long  lying  in  darkness,  but 
as  strong,  as  capable,  as  noble,  as  brave,  as  ourselves.  If  they 
were  Cannibals,  it  is  because  there  was  an  absence  of  the  beasts 
of  the  field,  which  were  a  necessity  for  food :  if  they  were  guilty 
of  Human  Sacrifices,  it  is  because  they  believed  in  the  existence 
of  a  Deity,  and  the  power  of  that  Deity,  and  they  wished  to 
conciliate  that  Deity  with  the  offering  of  their  best.  To  the 
persons  sacrificed  they  had  no  ill-will :  they  considered  them 
as  their  Messengers  to  God.  If  they  were  driven  to  crime  by 
Sorcerers,  it  is  because  they  were  Priest-ridden,  and  had  not 
learnt  the  true  liberty  of  the  Children  of  God. 

In  my  far-off  Eton  days,  the  boys  used  to  talk  about  some 
of  our  number  becoming  Generals,  or  Bishops,  or  Senators,  or 
Judges,  and  such  has  proved  to  be  the  case;  but  the  idea  never 
rose  in  the  mind  of  those  ancient  Heroes,  Dr.  Goodall  and  Dr. 
Keate,  of  any  Etonian  being  a  Missionary:  it  was  beyond  their 
conception,  that  there  was  a  higher  walk,  that  some  of  the  Public 
School-Boys  hereafter  would  be  Evangelists,  Pioneers  of  Christ, 
the  Conquerors  of  new  Kingdoms,  and  yet  it  has  proved  so : 
men  like  Selwyn,  Father  and  Son,  Steere,  Pattcson,  Mackenzie, 
Hannington,  and  many  others,  have  been  found  ready  to  die  not 
only  for  their  own  people,  but  for  the  poor  benighted  Heathen ; 


(     33     ) 

a  new  Epoch  of  Crusaders  has  been  opened  out :  Knights  Errant 
go  forth  in  the  Panoply  of  Faith,  not  to  rescue  the  Sepulchre  of 
the  Crucified,  but  to  tell  .the  Nations  of  the  Risen  Saviour. 

Some  of  your  numbers  may  achieve  greatness,  may  administer 
the  affairs  of  great  Subject  Provinces,  as  in  my  youth  I  have  done, 
or  be  present  in  great  battles,  as  I  have  been;  but  how  can  any- 
thing of  this  kind  be  weighed  in  the  balance  with  the  Saving  of 
Souls  ?  Some  of  our  great  Governors  have  found  a  Province  a 
den  of  wild  beasts,  and  left  it  a  smiling  garden;  but  over  the 
grave  of  some  Missionaries  it  is  recorded,  that,  when  they  landed 
in  a  certain  Island,  there  were  no  Christians,  and,  when  they 
died,  there  were  no  Heathen  :  that  when  they  landed,  the  people 
were  naked,  savage,  and  illiterate,  and,  when  they  died,  they 
were  clothed  and  in  their  right  mind  living  chastely  in  cottages, 
clustered  together  in  villages,  learning  the  way  of  holiness  in 
Schools,  congregated  together  in  Chapels,  looking  forward  to  a 
holy  rest  in  a  consecrated  God's  acre  :  they,  had  the  whole  or 
portions  of  the  Bible  translated  into  their  own  language,  with 
such  skill,  that  no  single  loan-word  was  required  to  represent  a 
new  idea,  as  the  unbounded  wealth  of  combination  of  vocables 
was  equal  to  every  requirement:  and,  moreover,  these  translations 
were  printed  by  reformed  Cannibals,  or  children  of  Cannibals, 
in  the  Mission  Press,  and  used  in  the  Mission  Schools,  while  the 
precious  promises  therein  contained  were  twined  round  their 
converted  hearts. 

If  any  of  you  are  destined  to  the  Church  or  the  Senate,  consider 
the  awful  questions  of  the  future  of  the  populations  subject  directly 
or  indirectly  to  the  power  and  influence  of  Great  Britain.  Are 
they  to  be  swept  off  the  face  of  the  Earth.?  Are  they  to  be  left 
in  their  degradation,  adding  European  vices  to  their  congenital 
depravity  }  What  machinery  can  be  applied  to  save  them  ?  By 
an  inexorable  law  of  Nature,  some  of  them  seem  to  be  dwindling, 
and  will  soon  disappear !  Is  their  blood  to  be  laid  at  our  door, 
for  in  very  deed  we  are  their  keepers  ?  The  Governor,  the 
Merchant,  the  Soldier,  the  Colonist,  are  unable  to  grapple  with 
this  problem  :  they  are  rather  in  spite  of  themselves  the  cause  of 
the  intensity  of  the  evil.  As  the  Assyrians  and  the  Babylonians  and 
Persians  and  Greeks  and  Romans  in  former  times,  so  in  modern 
times  we  Anglo-Saxons  in  our  grand  march  over  Continent  and 
Island  displace,  destroy,  swallow  up,  and  assimilate,  the  indi- 
genous races  :  our  very  touch  is  dangerous  to  them,  for  we  bring 
with  us  Rum,  and  Gin,  and  Gunpowder,  and  loathsome  diseases 
previously  unknown.  Nothing  but  the  Missionary,  the  man  of 
capacity,  devotion,  and  love,  can  be  of  use  in  such  a  terrible 
crisis.  We  dare  not  say  that,  because  these  races  by  the  in- 
scrutable will  of  Providence  have  been  left  so  many  centuries 
out  in  the  cold,  out  of  the  orbit  of  the  Revolution  of  the  Sun  of 


(     34     ) 

the  Gospel,  as  it  were  God-forgotten,  for  no  Prophet  or  Evange- 
list ever  came  near  them,  we  dare  not  say,  that  they  must  still 
have  no  opportunity  of  being  saved,  if  they  will.  Some  have  had 
lying  Prophets,  false  doctrines  thrust  upon  them :  cruel  customs 
have  sprung  up,  and  practices  contrary  to  Nature.  Still  by  His 
stripes  they  can  be  healed. 

And  still  the  shadow  of  the  Cross  has  been  projected  over 
them :  we  still  find  in  their  Sacred  Books,  where  they  exist, 
a  penumbra  of  the  truth,  a  constant  feeling  after  God,  if  haply 
they  could  find  Him.  We  find  in  every  Nation  under  the  Sun  a 
desire  to  worship  a  Power  dimly  seen  and  imperfectly  understood: 
we  must  not  say,  that  this  state  of  affairs  can  be  allowed  to  last. 
God's  means  are  not  limited.  There  is  no  corner,  no  cellar, 
so  dark,  to  which  His  blessed  rays  of  Light  cannot  attain.  His 
Greatness  encompasses  our  Littleness.  His  Strength  supple- 
ments our  Weakness.  The  stillness  of  the  Past  is  broken  by  the 
sound  of  a  Movement,  Moral,  Material,  Intellectual,  Spiritual, 
and  ours  is  the  fortunate  race  permitted  to  lead  it,  and  chosen 
to  be  the  Heralds  of  Salvation.  Perhaps  among  my  hearers 
there  are  some,  who  forty  years  hence  will  have  achieved  a 
reputation  greater  than  that  of  a  Classic  or  INIathematician,  and 
whose  name  will  be  worthy  to  be  classed  with  those  of  Henry 
Martyn,  Livingstone,  Patteson,  and  John  Williams. 

It  is  not  reasonable,  that  the  Briton,  in  his  insular  angularity, 
and  in  the  precisely  arranged  costume  of  his  country,  should 
despise  the  naked  Hindu  Fakir,  smeared  with  cow- dung,  who 
sits  with  his  chaplet  of  beads  repeating  his  IMantra;  he  does  not 
well  to  laugh  at  the  Buddhist  with  his  Prayer- Wheel,  and  the 
"  Cm  Mani  Padmi  Hom !  "  :  .he  may  fail  to  understand  thg 
merit  of  the  Mahometan  Moulavi,  who  knows  every  word  of  the 
Koran  by  heart :  but  the  subject  of  Religion  is  too  deep  and 
solemn  to  be  lightly  dealt  with,  and  what  we  see  is  only  the  out- 
ward sign  of  the  thoughts  of  generations,  the  belief  of  Millions, 
the  hope  of  dying  men,  which  a  countless  multitude  have  held 
as  dearer  than  life  from  their  cradles  to  their  funeral  pyre,  or 
their  grave. 

We  must  not  fall  into  the  error,  that  the  origin  and  practice 
of  all  non-Christian  Religions  are  necessarily  debased,  debased 
beyond  hope,  because  the  outer  crust,  which  presents  itself  to 
our  observation,  is  so  grossly  contrary  to  INIorals  and  Spirituality. 
The  same  might  be  said  of  the  Roman  and  Greek  Churches, 
though  we  know,  that  their  hidden  basements  are  founded  on  the 
Rock.  The  degree  of  elevation  of  the  higher  minds  is  not  to 
be  measured  by  the  debasement  of  the  vulgar  herd  of  ignorant 
devotees.  At  the  bottom  of  all,  even  of  the  Fetichism  of  Africa, 
and  the  Nature-Worship  of  the  South  Sea  Islanders,  is  a  Great 
Truth,  which  Man  by  himself  has  found  out,  and  cannot  free 


(     35     ) 

himself  from,  the  Existence  of  a  Poiver  greater  than  himself.  He 
sees  Him  in  different  forms,  according  to  the  development  of  his 
own  intellect,  but  he  sees  Him  still,  and  he  tries  to  conciliate 
Him.  The  hearts  of  all  men  seem  to  turn  to  God  like  a  Sun- 
flower turns  to  the  Sun,  but  they  do  not  seek  Him  rightly, 
because  they  have  never  had  a  teacher  sent  from  God.  We 
must  not  treat  superciliously  their  methods,  their  legends,  and 
their  Faith,  but  thank  God,  that  we  have  had  our  intelligence 
aided  by  Inspiration. 

Besides  this,  in  those  inhospitable  Climates  the  children  of 
Nature  are  brought  so  much  nearer,  and  more  directly  in  contact 
with  the  Elements,  with  the  fearful  ])0wer  of  Nature,  which  they 
worship  :  the  Sea  with  its  changeable  caprice,  the  vast  Forest, 
the  deadly  swamp,  the  fearful  desert,  the  hurricane,  the  thunder 
and  lightning,  the  earthquake,  the  volcano,  the  pestilence,  the 
famine,  and  the  flood  :  they  cannot  understand  it :  they  try  to 
conciliate  the  evil  Spirits :  even,  when  they  have  become 
Christians,  they  cannot  divest  themselves  of  the  idea,  that  the 
powers  of  the  Evil  One  claim  their  hecatombs,  for  Nature- 
worship  clings  to  the  skirts  of  their  clothing.  A  belief  in 
Witches,  Fairies,  and  Ghosts,  has  hardly  yet  died  out  in  Great 
Britain. 

The  Epoch  for  the  simple-minded  ignorant  Missionary  is  past. 
God's  battles  must  be  fought  with  arms  of  precision  :  it  requires 
the  highest  intellect,  the  profoundest  knowledge  of  Religion  in 
all  its  forms ;  the  acutest  power  of  dialectics  to  cope  with  error, 
error  rendered  more  deadly  by  the  fresh  venom  gathered  in 
European  pest-houses,  and  all  these  gifts  must  be  seasoned  with 
Christian  love,  indomitable  Patience,  tender  Pity,  and  Faith  able 
to  move  mountains.  Think  not  that  such  contests,  though  with 
a  naked  Brahmg,n,  or  a  pig-tailed  Chinese,  or  a  painted  Islander, 
are  unworthy  of  the  highest  intellect  trained  in  this  University. 
In  India,  China,  and  Japan  you  will  have  to  cope  with  foemen 
worthy  of  your  steel:  if  your  study  of  the  words  of  Aristotle,  and 
Plato,  and  Paul  and  Christ,  have  been  of  any  profit,  you  will 
have  occasion  to  use  them;  you  will  have  to  leave  behind  the 
palisade  of  the  Dogmas  of  Schoolmen,  and  grapple  in  a  Death- 
struggle  with  the  great  Problem  of  Human  Existence.  You  will 
find  that  Secular  Education  is  a  dangerous  ally.  It  is  a  fearful 
statement  to  make,  but  some  make  it,  that  if  Religion  is  a  Safe- 
guard of  INIorality,  and  such  a  binding  of  the  Soul  by  Rules,  as 
will  make  a  man  prove  worthy  of  Life,  and  more  fitted  to  die,  a 
false  Religion  is  better  than  the  great  No  Religion,  Agnosticism, 
Theosophism,  and  Atheism,  which  loom  before  us. 

The  Asiatic  has  no  sense  of  Inferiority  :  he  deems  himself  the 
heir  of  an  ancient  Civilization :  it  is  admitted  on  all  hands,  that, 
if  one  Language  can  exceed  another  in  symmetrical  beauty  and 


(     36    ) 

multiform  structure,  it  is  Sanskrit,  and  Sanskrit  is  the  type  of 
the  highest  development  of  the  Indian  mind,  and  the  vehicle  of 
its  wondrous  literature.  At  the  Oriental  Congress  of  Vienna 
last  September,  at  which  I  was  present,  Pandit  Bhandarkar  of 
Bombay,  in  the  dress  of  his  country,  made  an  address  on  an 
intricate  subject  in  the  English  language  with  all  the  dignity  of 
a  Professor,  and  an  aplomb  and  absence  of  self-consciousness,  to 
which  few  Englishmen  can  attain.  A  question  arose  as  to  the 
translation  of  a  Chinese  Proper-name,  and  a  young  Chinese,  with 
his  blue  dress  and  pig-tail,  stepped  into  the  rostrum,  and  with 
the  chalk  in  his  hand  explained  it  in  elegant  French,  looking 
with  fierce  contempt  on  the  assembled  Scholars  of  Europe,  who 
presumed  to  dabble  with  his  ideographs.  An  Arabic  School- 
Inspector  from  Egypt  gave  an  address  in  Arabic  on  the  progress 
of  Education  in  Egypt  from  the  time  of  the  Arab  Conquest 
until  now,  and  no  doubt  proved  to  his  own  satisfaction,  that 
the  Arab  System  was  far  superior  to  the  present  new-fangled 
Instruction. 

These  are  the  men,  with  whom  the  undergraduates  of  Oxford 
will  have  to  cope,  if  they  have  leisure  from  their  Gymnasia,  their 
Stadia,  their  Naumakhiai,  their  Hippodromoi,  and  their  Symposia, 
to  prepare  to  cope  at  all. 

Think  what  a  vista  is  opened  out  to  those,  who  with  reverent 
curiosity  attempt  the  study  of  Comparative  Religion  with  a 
view  of  arming  themselves  for  the  fight  in  the  cause  of  the  one 
true  Faith.  Mark  the  piety  of  the  elder  Races,  how  they  attributed 
their  victories  to  their  God :  the  Monuments  of  Assyria  and 
Egypt  bring  before  us  those  great  Monarchs  trusting  to  Ashur 
and  Amen  Ra.  In  India  to  this  day  they  appeal  to  and  trust. in 
their  ancient  divinities.  It  will  not  do  for  the  European  to  rush 
in,  and  sweep  away  all  these  beliefs.  Far  better  to  place  his 
foot  on  adamantine  Truth,  which  is  the  basis  of  all  Religion, 
and  build  upwards,  removing  gently  the  decay  and  accumulation 
of  ruins  of  Centuries,  and  gently  pointing  out  the  better  way. 
God  has  not  left  any  of  his  children  without  a  witness,  if  the 
Missionary  is  skilful  enough  to  find  it:  how  gently  St.  Paul 
dealt  with  the  Athenians  in  the  market-place  of  Athens  !  It  is 
a  lesson  to  all  INIissionaries  to  be  merciful  to  the  intellectual  and 
moral  failings  of  the  heathen,  to  be  gentle,  and  not  press 
the  heel  too  heavily  on  the  new  convert,  and  not  expect  to  find 
angels  in  India  of  a  type,  which  is  not  found  in  Great  Britain, 
not  to  describe  the  great  Empires  of  India  and  China  as  the 
Kingdom  of  Satan,  but  by  their  consistent  lives  and  gentle 
reasoning  to  win  Souls  to  Christ. 

There  are  sublimer  and  sweeter  motives  calculated  to  influence 
you,  which  will  be  explained  to  you  by  those,  who  are  com- 
missioned to   instruct  you   from   the    Pulpit.    I    allude   to   the 


(     37     ) 

Glorifying  of  Christ  by  the  enlargement  of  His  Kingdom.  I 
restrict  myself  here  to  pointing  out  to  you,  as  the  result  of 
personal  experience  of  nearly  half  a  century,  the  reflex  blessing 
on  our  hearts,  our  hearths,  and  lives,  the  satisfying  feeling,  that 
here  at  least  we  are  unmistakeably  doing  the  work  of  our  Master. 
It  is  not  sufficient  to  raise  the  tone  of  our  private  lives,  to  provide 
for  the  wants  of  our  Parish,  or  the  adornment  of  our  place  of 
Worship :  we  can  do  this,  -and  yet  not  leave  the  other  undone. 
The  plain  distinct  parting  command  of  the  Risen  Saviour  applies 
to  each  one  of  us  now,  just  as  much  as  it  did  eighteen  hundred 
years  ago  to  the  Apostles  and  Disciples  assembled  on  Mount 
Olivet,  and  this  thought  pressed  upon  me,  as  I  stood  a  short 
time  ago  on  that  blessed  spot,  and  looked  across  the  brook 
Kedron  into  the  town  of  Jerusalem  still  in  Captivity. 

The  IMissionary  is  not,  as  some  would  have  it,  the  enemy  and 
opponent  of  the  Trader  and  Merchant,  but  their  Pioneer,  and 
best  friend.  He  will  not  indeed  sit  quietly  by,  and  see  the 
Natives  plundered  and  ill-used,  and  their  young  men  cajoled  by 
nominal  service-contracts,  and  carried  otf  into  real  Slavery.  He 
will  not  look  calmly  on,  while  the  young  girls  of  the  Mission- 
School,  just  budding  into  womanhood,  are  seduced  by  the  Ship- 
Clerk,  or  assistant  trader,  to  be  their  temporary  companions  : 
he  will  not  be  silent,  when  Rum,  and  Gin,  are  poured  into  the 
country,  and  the  day's  wage,  and  the  reward  of  toil,  are  repre- 
sented by  a  bottle  of  liquor.  But  the  IMissionary,  if  he  rightly 
understands  his  high  position,  will  preach  Christ  in  such  a  way, 
as  to  make  his  hearers  more  fit  to  die  as  believing  and  repentant 
sinners,  and  more  fit  to  live,  as  sober,  industrious,  intelligent 
citizens  of  the  world,  compelling  the  Earth  by  their  labour  to 
give  a  greater  increase,  developing  new  arts,  and  storing  up  for 
export  new  products,  and  receiving  in  return  all  that  the  Art  and 
Science  of  Europe  and  America  can  bring  to  their  Coasts  to 
make  life  more  cheerful,  homes  more  comfortable,  bodies  better 
clad,  and  souls  more  ready  for  the  great  change,  that  must  surely 
come. 

There  is  a  higher  consanguinity  than  that  of  the  blood,  which 
runs  in  our  veins :  that  of  the  blood,  which  makes  our  hearts 
beat  with  indignation,  when  we  hear  of  suff"ering,  with  pity,  when 
we  read  of  Ignorance,  and  glad  joy,  when  we  hear  of  noble  men 
and  women  giving  their  lives  to  relieve  that  sufi'ering,  and  to 
enlighten  that  ignorance.  The  heart  indeed  beats  high,  when 
we  read  of  such  unselfishness  and  greatness  of  character,  as  has 
distinguished  the  Missionary  Heroes  of  Africa,  who  were  not 
afraid  to  die  for  the  Negro,  and  the  sublimity  of  Simple  Eaith, 
which  marks  the  career  of  the  Polynesian  Native  Teachers,  who 
with  their  lives  in  their  hands  went  from  Island  to  Island  on 
their  voyages  of  Mercy,  until  the  whole  Archipelago  was  brought 


(     38     ) 

under  Christian  influence.  Surely  it  is  a  cause  of  pride  to  think, 
that  there  is  a  brave  and  strong  man,  one  of  our  own  kin  and 
language,  and  a  woman  too,  in  the  darkest  corner  of  the  Earth, 
where  his  and  her  influence  is  most  wanted. 

And  there  is  a  higher  Nationality  than  that  of  being  of  one 
Race,  and  speaking  one  Language:  it  is,  that  we  owe  allegiance 
and  filial  duty  to  our  Common  Father,  and  ought  to  feel  love 
and  pity  and  sympathy  for  all  His  children,  and  the  greater  love, 
the  more  degraded  that  we  find  them. 

Had  the  light,  which  sprung  up  to  lighten  the  Gentiles  in 
Galilee,  flashed  Eastward  and  Southward  instead  of  Westward, 
and  left  us  sitting  all  these  dreary  centuries  in  Heathen  darkness, 
what  should  we  have  thought,  if  the  Nations  of  Asia  and  Africa 
and  Oceania  had  not  found  their  hearts  burning  within  them  to 
carry  to  us  the  Gospel  ?  And  shall  we,  who  have  been  pre- 
destinated to  such  early  blessings,  now  fail  in  our  duty  to  those, 
who  by  the  inscrutable  will  of  God  have  been  less  favoured  ? 

If  then  we  have  talents,  the  best  use  that  we  can  make  of  them 
is  to  enlarge  our  Master's  Kingdom,  and,  when  our  lives  come 
to  an  end,  the  best  tribute,  that  we  can  have  offered,  is  that  of 
redeem.ed  souls,  better  than  the  victories  of  the  Soldier,  or  the 
learning  of  the  Scholar,  or  the  discoveries  of  the  Secrets  of 
Nature  made  by  the  Philosopher.  No  brave  Missionary  fights, 
and  dies  in  vain. 

Ut  moriens  vivat,  Vixit  ut  moriturus. 

Address  to  the  Undergraduates,  at  Balliol  College, 
Oxford,  Nov.  1886  (with  additions,  1888). 


(     39    ) 


-       IV. 

THE  HERO-MISSIONARY  AND  HEROIC  MISSIONARY 

SOCIETY. 

Quern  virum,  aut  heroa,  lyra,  vel  acri 
Tibia  sumis  celebrare,  Clio  ? — 

Horace  I.   12.  i. 

As  a  member  of  the  Committee  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  I  am  not  likely  to  undervalue  the  plodding  day  by  day, 
and  year  by  year,  of  the  simple-hearted  Missionary,  who,  like 
Rebman  and  Krapf  at  Mombasa  in  East  Africa,  and  William 
Smith  and  Leupolt  at  Banaras,  worked  on  from  year  to  year, 
and  only  left  the  scene  of  their  quiet  labours,  when  failing 
powers  compelled  them  to  do  so.  Such  uneventful  lives  do  not 
strike  the  imagination  so  much,  as  that  of  the  Hero-Missionary, 
whose  career  is  short,  but  brilliant :  it  may  seem,  unjust,  but  it 
is  so  always  :  the  brave  man,  who  leads  the  forlorn  hope,  or 
gains  the  Victoria  Cross  by  risking  his  life,  obtains  a  niche, 
and  his  career  is  an  incentive  to  others:  the  faithful  old  soldier 
has  nothing  but  the  feeling  of  duty  done  to  reward  him,  and 
the  thought  of  him  will  not  rouse  others  to  deeds  of  valour. 

My  subject  is  the  Hero-Missionary,  and  Heroic  Missionary 
Society.  It  is  hard,  that  the  man  must  die  to  be  deemed  a 
Hero,  but  so  it  has  been  at  all  times  from  the  days  of  Achilles 
to  our  own  times.  Death  throws  a  halo  round  the  departed  one. 
Some  examples  have  been  brighter  in  death  than  in  life :  it  is 
another  illustration  of  our  Lord's  remark  about  the  corn  of 
wheat,  "  If  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit."  I  have 
selected  three  great  Characters,  Allen  Gardiner,  Coleridge 
Patteson,  and  John  Williams,  as  types  of  the  Hero-Missionary, 
and  the  Moravian  Missionary  Society,  as  the  type  of  the  Heroic 
Mission. 

Life  is  such  a  tangled  web,  that  it  is  only  as  he  approaches 
the  end  of  his  career,  that  the  worker  can  see  the  pattern  of 
the  web,  at  which  he  has  been  working  all  his  days :  he  has 
had  only  one  portion  of  the  pattern  exposed  to  his  view,  but 
he  has  been  permitted  to  work  at  that  faithfully  and  patiently, 
though  it  may  be  only  a  leaf  or  a  flower,  and  he  is  able  to  do 


(     40     ) 

it  truly,  strongly  and  firmly ;  but  the  Hero-IMissionary  seenis 
in  his  youth,  or  in  the  early  part  of  his  career,  to  have  grasped 
at  some  purpose  unseen  to  all  but  himself:  he  wishes  to 
accomplish  something,  which  the  world  will  not  let  die  :  and  to 
some  few  this  is  granted.  In  others  the  one  only  life,  which  the 
worker  had  to  offer,  is  not  sufficient :  but  the  Master  accepts 
the  will  for  the  deed,  as  young  IVPCall  said  on  his  early  death- 
bed, "If  the  Lord's  will  be  to  take  myself,  and  not  the  work, 
"  which  I  would  do  for  Him,  His  Holy  will  be  done." 

''Oj'   01     Qeoi   (piXovai,   Ovi^OKouaiv   I'eoi. 

Heroes,  being  men  of  marked  character,  are  deemed  by  the 
vulgar  herd  to  be  eccentric:  their  very  superiority  prevents 
their  being  duly  estimated.  The  circumstance  of  their  death 
shakes  weak  Faith,  but  the  true  Christian  through  Death  to 
Life  sees  clearly,  how  God  of  seeming  evil  works  lasting  good. 
To  die  for  one's  country  is  a  great  gain  :  to  die  for  one's 
Saviour,  to  fill  up  what  remains  of  His  sufferings,  is  sweeter. 
Such  was  the  life  of  Allen  Gardiner:  no  doubt  he  was  thought 
to  be  an  enthusiast,  and  crazed,  and  a  bore ;  but  the  opinion 
is  now  changed.  His  story  is  simple :  he  was  an  officer  of  the 
Navy,  who  lost  his  young  wife  early :  he  thus  went  per  cruceni 
ad  liicem,  and  thenceforth  consecrated  himself  to  the  Missionary 
service  heart  and  soul,  and  he  kept  his  vow :  to  be  a  Pioneer- 
Missionary  to  the  most  abandoned  Heathen  was  the  great 
object  of  his  life.  He  was  neither  qualified  for  ordinary 
Missionary  work,  nor  would  it  Jiave  satisfied  him  to  have  reaped 
the  harvest,  which  others  had  sowed :  his  was  a  harder  and 
more  thankless  task,  but  none  the  less  blessed. 

He  tried  many  countries,  but  found  no  opening :  his  iNIission- 
ary  spirit,  like  a  dove  let  loose  from  home,  wandered  about 
seeking  a  place  of  rest :  at  length  he  definitely  chose  South 
America  as  his  field :  he  was  prevented  by  the  Roman  Catholic 
Priests  from  settling  among  the  wild  tribes  on  the  Continent : 
he  found  at  length  a  spot,  where  even  the  Spanish  Priests 
would  not  care  to  follow  him,  at  the  most  Southerly  point  of 
the  Island,  separated  from  the  Mainland  by  the  Straits  of 
jMagellan,  within  a  small  distance  of  the  Antarctic  Circle,  the 
Island  of  Tierra  del  Fuego. 

The  possibilities  of  the  Human  Family  are  not  to  be  found 
in  one  single  race,  or  at  one  particular  epoch,  or  in  one  region 
of  the  world.  Grace  is  sufficient  for  them  all,  and  the  Mission- 
ary, who  brought  captive  to  the  feet  of  his  IMaster  the  poor 
Eskimo,  the  half-brutal  Fuegian,  the  Cannibal  of  Melanesia, 
or  the  short  stunted  races  of  Australia,  glorifies  His  Saviour 
by  showing,  that  the  Gospel-Message  was  designed  for  all,  can 
be  understood  by  all,  that  Christ  died  for  all,  and  that  there  is 


(     41     ) 

no  other  way  of  Salvation,  but  through  Him.  The  Message  is 
so  divine,  and  yet  so  clothed  in  universal  Humanity,  that  it  finds 
its  way  to  the  spiritual  necessities  of  all,  and  satisfies  the  heart's 
cravings.  The  Student  of  Missionary  chronicles  has  added  this 
new  weapon  to  the  armoury  of  the  Theologian.  Darwin,  one 
of  the  gentlest  and  wisest  of  Heathens  (for  he,  that  is  least  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  is  greater  than  him),  when  he  first 
saw  the  inhabitants  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  declared,  that  their 
intellectual  improvement  was  beyond  the  efforts  of  man;  but  he 
lived  to  replace  that  hasty  opinion  by  the  following  :  "  The 
lesson  of.  the  Missionary  is  the  enchanter's  wand." 

Both  Nature  and  Man  were  against  Gardiner :  the  climate 
rendered  the  country  most  dreary  and  inhospitable:  the  sky 
rarely  cleared :  rainy  squalls  in  summer  alternated  with  the  snow 
and  sleet  of  winter :  the  winds  were  ferocious.  The  people 
belonged  to  the  Patagonian  race,  of  a  dark  colour,  with  long 
black  hair:  they  had  low  foreheads,  flat  and  thick  noses,  scanty 
clothing,  wretched  habitations,  and  they  were  arrant  thieves, 
cruel,  and,  when  brought  to  bay,  furious  wild  beasts:  the  women 
possessed  some  traces  of  gentleness,  but  were  treated  as  slaves. 
Gardiner's  first  attempt  to  land  and  house  himself  on  land  was 
a  failure :  the  conduct  of  the  natives  was  such,  that  he  had.  to 
retreat,  and  return  to  England.  Nothing  daunted,  he  deter- 
mined to  have  a  floating  home,  and  to  keep  his  reserve-stores  at 
the  Falkland  Islands.  He  could  not  collect  sufficient  funds  to 
buy  a  suitable  ship,  so  he  supplied  himself  with  two  decked 
boats:  two  Catechists  and  three  pious  sailors  accompanied  him. 
The  Ocean-Queen  steamer  deposited  the  boats  and  men  with 
provisions  for  six  months  at  Banner  Bay  in  Tierra  del  Fuego : 
they  had  given  up  all  the  ties  of  home  for  Christ's  sake,  but  they 
were  called  upon  to  make  a  greater  sacrifice,  even  of  their  lives, 
and  none  of  them  were  ever  seen  alive  again.  It  reconciles  us 
to  our  common  humanity,  that  men  are  always  found,  when  the 
cause  of  Christ  requires  it,  to  face  the  greatest  danger  at  His 
bidding.  These  men  all  died  of  starvation,  Allen  Gardiner  being 
the  last  survivor.  When,  months  later,  the  frigate,  sent  out  to 
make  inquiries,  arrived,  their  dead  bodies  were  found,  and  their 
journals  and  letters :  one  by  one  they  had  died,  but  there  was 
no   despair,  no  imputation  of  blame  to  others  : 

Poor,  weak  though  we  are,  our  abode  is  a  very  Bethel  to  our  Souls,  for  we 
feel  and  know,  that  God  is  here.  Asleep  or  awake,  I  am  happy  beyond  the 
power   of  expression. 

Allen  Gardiner  penned  a  farewell  letter,  expressing  his  un- 
clouded joy  in  the  Lord,  his  perfect  resignation  to  His  Holy 
Will,  but  earnestly  imploring,  that  the  Mission  should  not  be 
abandoned,  and  sketching  out   a    plan   for  future  operations, 


(     42     ) 

which  was  acted  upon.     In  his  death  he  anticipated  the  coming 
of  His  Master's  Kingdom.     He  rejoiced  to  see  the  day-dawn  of 
the  Gospel :  he  saw  it,  and  was  glad. 
His  last  words  were  : 

Great  and  marvellous  are  the  loving-kindnesses  of  my  gracious  God  unto  me. 
He  has  preserved  me  hitherto,  and  for  four  days,  although  without  bodily 
food,  without  any  feeling  of  hunger  or  thirst  ! 

Here  the  journal  ends :   but  one  letter  was  dated  a  day  later : 

Yet  a  little  while,  and  through  Grace  we  may  join  that  blessed  throng,  to 
sing  the  praises  of  Christ  to  all  eternity.  I  neither  hunger  nor  thirst,  though 
five  days  without  food  :  marvellous  loving-kindness  to  me  a  Sinner  ! 

I  remember  the  news  of  this  sad  tragedy  reaching  India 
in  1852,  and  many  a  sigh  was  wafted  from  India  to  the  South 
Pole.  His  life  was  not  given  in  vain:  the  Pioneer's  work  was 
done :  and  the  Lone  Star-Mission  was  established,  which  has 
worked  Northwards  into  the  mainland  of  South  America,  and  is 
now  spreading  itself  among  the  Heathens  of  Paraguay.  Bread 
cast  on  the  waters  is  found  after  many  days. 

Humanly  speaking,  but  for  Allen  Gardiner's  determination, 
and  the  interest  excited  by  the  sad  end  of  himself,  and  his 
noble  companions,  this  footing  would  never  have  been  made 
good.  When  Nations  and  Tongues  are  assembled  before  the 
great  White  Throne,  Allen  Gardiner  will  be  there  with  his 
savages : 

Lord  !  behold,  with  the  talent,  which  Thou  gavest  me,  I  have  gathered 
these  poor  sheep  into  Thy  fold  ! 

Differing  in  everything,  in  method,  in  gifts,  in  training,  in 
result,  but  with  the  same  spirit,  that  of  lowly  and  entire  self- 
sacrifice,  was  the  career  of  Coleridge  Patteson,  Bishop  of 
the  Islands  of  Melanesia,  which  lie  120°  to  the  West,  and  in 
a  more  Northern  Latitude.  I  knew  Patteson  as  a  boy  at  Eton, 
and  he  had  the  advantage  of  a  University-Education,  and  I  well 
remember  Bishop  Selwyn  the  elder  going  out  as  Bishop  of  New 
Zealand.  He  also  was  of  the  Hero-type,  strong,  brave,  wise  and 
determined:  he  had  established  the  Mission  in  the  New  Hebrides 
and  the  Solomon  Islands,  and  he  chose  Coleridge  Patteson  to 
be  his  coadjutor,  and  his  successor :  there  is  something  sad 
and  solemn  in  the  details  of  the  selection  of  the  lad  by  the 
Bishop,  and  the  surrender  of  him  by  the  Parents :  the  Mother, 
like  Hannah,  consecrated  her  son  to  the  Lord,  and  the  grand 
old  Father  made  the  great  sacrifice  of  his  eldest  boy,  for  he 
never  saw  his  face  again.  How  foolish,  and  even  wicked,  seem 
the  efforts  of  Parents  to  retain  their  children,  when  the  Lord 
has  unmistakably  chosen  and  called  them  !  Every  act  of  this 
beautiful  life  stands  out  in  the  pages  of  his  biography :  whether 
in  his  solitary  ship-cabin,  or  lonely  hut,  he  was  a  great  writer 


(    43     ) 

of  letters,  and  they  tell  us  unconsciously  of  his  exalted  character. 
He  had  no  settled  home,  but  he  had  a  settled  plan,  devised  by 
Bishop  Selwyn,  and  worked  out  by  himself.  He  had  to  deal 
with  a  black,  woolly-haired  Negrito  race,  savage,  inhospitable, 
cannibals,  not  so  low  down  in  the  scale  of  humanity  as  the 
natives  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  for  they  possessed  some  arts,  and 
they  spoke  numerous  distinct  languages.  The  Training  School 
on  Norfolk  Island,  the  Mission-Ship  taking  up,  and  putting  down, 
lads  at  the  different  Islands,  thus  accustoming  the  people  to  his 
presence,  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  their  languages,  and  creating 
a  confidence  in  his  kindness  :  these  were  his  methods.  As  his 
blessed  ship  passed  from  Island  to  Island,  it  left  a  track  of  light, 
of  mercy,  and  loving-kindness,  and  his  plans  seem  to  be  realizing. 
We  read  in  his  Journal : 

I  think  of  the  Islands,  and  see  them,  in  my  dreams,  and  it  seems,  as  if 
nothing  had  been  done  ;  but  when  I  think  of  what  they  were  a  very  short 
time  ago.  Oh  !  I  do  feel  thankful  indeed,  and  amazed,  and  almost  fearful. 

He  was  so  far  more  blessed  than  Allen  Gardiner,  for  he  saw 
some  fruits  of  his  labours  :  brighter  prospects  of  more  fruit :  the 
harvest  was  ripening  :  labourers,  both  European  and  Native,  were 
gathering  round  him  :  the  time  for  putting  in  the  sickle  was  at 
hand. 

Hundreds  of  people  crowded  together,  naked,  armed,  with  uncouth  cries 
and  gestures.  I  cannot  talk  to  them  but  by  signs :  but  they  are  my  cliildroi 
nozu.     May  God  enable  me  to  do  my  duty  by  them  ! 

The  great  Controller  of  the  lives  of  men  had  provided  him 
fellow-labourers  from  an  unexpected  quarter:  lads,  whom  he 
found  on  Norfolk  Island,  descendants  of  the  Mutineers  of  the 
"  Bounty,"  who,  having  married  Native  women  of  Tahiti,  left  to 
their  oflspring  a  legacy  of  the  blood  of  Europe  and  Oceania 
united  in  their  veins  in  a  mixed  stream ;  these  lads  were 
endowed  with  singular  sweetness  of  character,  and  ardent  faith. 
Two  were  killed  by  poisoned  arrows  during  the  lifetime  of  the 
Bishop  :  one  died  with  him.  It  is  well  known,  that  the  Bishop 
was  killed  at  the  Island  of  Nikapu :  I  need  not  tell  the  sad 
story  :  he  died  for  the  sins  of  others,  so  closely  did  he  tread  in 
the  steps  of  his  Master:  a  boat  floated  out  containing  his  body 
with  a  palm  branch  laid  upon  the  five  wounds :  and  at  the  age 
of  46  his  warfare  was  accomplished,  his  Hero-life  was  ended. 
The  poor  lad,  however,  lingered  a  few  days  in  intense  agony 
under  his  wounds,  and  made  the  following  remarks,  when  he 
saw  his  leader's  body,  showing  the  spirit,  which  had  been  im- 
parted to  him  by  his  contact  with  a  Hero : 

Seeing  people  taken  away,  when  we  think,  that  they  are  most  necessary  to 
do  God's  work  on  earth,  makes  me  think,  that  we  oiten  think,  and  talk,  too 
much  about  Christian  work  :  what  God  requires  is  Christian  men.  He  does  not 
need  the  icork  :  He  only  gives  it  to  form  a  perfect  character  of  the  men,  whom 
He  sends  to  do  it. 


(    44    ) 

It  is  a]l  right  now.  Do  not  grieve  about  it,  because  they  did  not  do  this 
thing  of  themselves,  for  God  allcnvcd  them  to  do  it.  It  is  very  good,  because 
God  would  have  it  so,  because  He  looks  after  us,  and  He  understands  about  us, 
and  now  He  wills  to  take  away  us  two  (nie  and  the  Bishop),  and  it  is  well. 

The  poor  lad's  knowledge  of  the  world  was  limited  to  Pitcairn 
Island  and  Norfolk  Island.  His  faith  had  not  been  weakened 
in  the  schools  of  learning  The  Bishop  had  by  his  own  Hero- 
life  brought  Christ  home  vividly  to  his  imagination,  and  in  his 
simple  eloquence,  with  dying  lips,  the  poor  lad  sought  to  palliate 
the  offences  of  the  ignorant  savages,  who  had  killed  him  in 
revenge  for  the  wrongs,  which  they  had  suffered  at  the  hands 
of  others,  and  to  justify  the  ivays  of  God  to  Man.  Who  can  say 
that  Coleridge  Patteson  lived  and  died  in  vain  }  If  you  seek 
his  Monument,  read  the  annals  of  the  ever- expanding  IVIela- 
nesian  INIission,  spreading  from  Tribe  to  Tribe,  and  from  Island 
to  Island. 

John  Williams  belonged  to  an  earlier  generation.  He  had 
accomplished  his  course,  while  Patteson  was  an  Eton  Boy, 
before  Allen  Gardiner  had  conceived  his  great  idea.  He  w-as 
indeed  an  ILvul^  avcpwv,  and  seems  to  have  been  specially  brought 
upon  the  scene  by  a  wise  Providence  at  a  moment,  when  his 
peculiar  gifts  were  required.  Oh  !  if  we  could  only  understand, 
and  be  satisfied,  that  we  are  all  of  us  but  pots  in  the  hands  of 
the  Potter,  made  suitable  for  the  work,  which  is  laid  upon  us ! 
Williams'  education,  intellectually  and  even  religiously,  had  been 
very  defective  :  the  hour  of  his  call  came  at  the  appointed  time  : 
as  he  was  going  to  a  tavern  to  meet  worldly  companions,  he 
was  overtaken  by  a  lady  of  his  acquaintance  in  the  streets,  who 
persuaded  him  to  accompany  her  to  a  place  of  worship,  and 
this  chance  event  was  the  commencement  of  his  great  change 
of  life :  he  had  energy  of  character,  strength  of  faith,  ardent 
desire  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  a  wonderful  power  of  con- 
ciliation :  he  could  moreover  turn  his  hand  to  anything  in  the 
smithy,  or  carpenter's  shop  :  he  proved  his  capacity  to  build  a 
seaworthy  vessel:  he  could  saw  timber,  or  teach  in  a  school  : 
his  object  was  to  rouse  the  people  to  the  duty  of  introducing 
new  arts,  and  reasonable  requirements.  Such  was  the  man, 
who  was  sent  out  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  the  Island  of  Tahiti 
in  1816;  early  in  his  career  he  wrote  to  his  jNIother,  that  he 
prayed,  that  he  might  be  faithful  unto  Death,  and  his  prayer 
was  heard,  for  it  was  so :  he  had  a  heart  too  large  to  wish  to 
keep  the  duty  of  evangelizing  the  vast  Region  of  Oceania  to 
one  denomination  of  Christians:  he  invited  all  the  Churches 
of  Protestant  Christianity  to  take  their  part  in  the  holy  Crusade. 

Early  in  his  career  he  conceived  the  idea  of  evangelizing 
the  whole  Region,  and  he  lived  to  see  great  progress  in  carrying 
it  out.     His  plans  were  bold  and  original,  but  always  practical, 


(    45     ) 

and  which  ivould  ivork.  There  was  nothing  in  him  Utopian, 
sentimental,  or  illusory,  and  success  crowned  all  his  endeavours, 
though  he  did  not  live  to  see  it,  and  half  a  century's  experience 
has  confirmed  the  justice  of  his  views.  He  could  not  rest 
satisfied  with  the  tiny  populations  of  Raiatea,  and  Rarotonga 
(of  which  Island  he  was  the  first  discoverer) :  the  fervour  of  his 
spirit  led  him  to  desire,  in  spite  of  the  inadequacy  of  his  means, 
to  go  on  from  Island  to  Island,  and  plant  a  living  Christianity  ; 
for  he  formed  and  carried  out  the  bold  conception  of  training 
converted  Heathen  to  become  Teachers  and  Evangelists  in 
other  Heathen  Islands,  a  truly  divine  method,  and  blessed 
beyond  his  utmost  dreams.  It  seems  almost  fabulous,  if  sub- 
sequent years  had  not  proved  the  reality.  He  came,  he  saw,  he 
conquered :  like  a  giant  he  strode  over  leagues  of  sea,  and 
anticipated  difficulties  seemed  to  vanish  before  him. 

There  were  no  Steamers  then,  and  few  sailing  vessels ;  but 
he  built  his  own,  the  "  Messenger  of  Peace,"  and  he  dauntlessly 
navigated  the  vast  realm  of  Oceania,  dotted  with  many  hundred 
isles  :  in  the  last  year  of  his  life  his  exertions  in  England  enabled 
him  to  provide  a  better  and  larger  vessel,  and  the  Steam  Mis- 
sionary Ship  has  long  superseded  his  slow  means  of  progress. 
After  his  return  from  England  in  1838,  he  made  his  first  attempt 
to  evangelize  the  black  races  in  the  New  Hebrides  :  he  landed 
with  success  in  1839  on  the  Islands  of  Futuna  and  Tanna :  on 
the  Island  of  Erromanga  he  was  killed,  and  devoured,  by  those, 
whom  he  came  to  save  and  bless.  The  last  words  in  his  Journal 
before  he  started  on  this  fatal  voyage  were  : 

None  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so 
that  I  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  message,  which  I  have  received  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  Gospel  of  His  Grace. 

The  last  sentence  written  by  him  on  the  preceding  evening  was  : 

This  is  a  memorable  day. 
And  almost  his  last  words  : 

Oh,  how  much  depends  upon  to-morrow  ! 

The  darkness,  which  for  a  time  shrouded  Erromanga,  was 
like  the  darkness  before  day,  the  precederof  an  exceeding  light, 
which  has  overshadowed  the  New  Hebrides.  The  man,  who 
murdered  him,  was  converted,  and  two  sons  of  this  man  became 
leading  Teachers  in  the  Mission-school,  which  was  erected  close 
to  the  spot,  where  he  had  fallen  half  a  century  before. 

John  Williams  had  been  unwilling  to  build  on  another's 
foundation,  for  he  was  a  Pioneer,  and  the  settled  desire  of 
his  Soul  was  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  Regions  beyond,  and 
not  to  boast  in  another  man's  line  of  things  made  ready  to 
his  hand  ;   but  he  paved  the  way  for  others.     It  is  a  wonder, 


(    46    ) 

that  he  had  been  spared  so  long  from  fever,  shipwreck,  the 
poisoned  arrow,  or  accident  by  land  and  water :  for  twenty- 
three  years  he  had  been  permitted  to  carry  on  his  work,  his 
blessed  work,  the  beginning  and  continuation  and  ending  of 
Avhich  had  been  predestinated  at  his  birth  :  if  he  died  at  the 
age  of  forty-three,  he  had  accomplished  a  work  left  undone 
since  the  beginning  of  time,  the  linking  of  these  scattered 
Islands  together  in  one  blessed  chain.  Love  to  his  Saviour, 
and  the  souls  of  men,  Faith  in  the  veracity  of  the  Divine 
Promise  as  to  the  universal  diffusion  of  the  Gospel,  conviction, 
that  the  Gospel  was  suited  to  and  intended  for  the  wants  of 
the  most  debased  of  mankind,  and  the  only  cure  of  human 
ills  :  these  were  the  great  principles  of  this  Hero-Missionary. 

John  Williams  is  described  as  having  no  personal  interests 
apart  from  his  people.  A  Missionary,  who  is  unable  to 
identify  himself  with  the  people,  among  whom  he  labours, 
cannot  under  any  circumstances  be  an  efficient  labourer,  and, 
if  he  has  any  other  object  in  view  but  thus  to  identify  himself, 
he  has  mistaken  his  vocation.  To  be  the  bearer  of  every 
man's  sorrow,  the  comforter  of  every  man's  grief,  the  strengthener 
of  every  man's  weaknesses:  to  do  this,  and  do  it  until  death: 
it  has  been  rightly  said  that  this  is  the  object  and  duty  of  a 
Missionary.  A  man,  who  never  allows  himself  to  forget,  that 
the  people  are  not  his  equals  according  to  his  European  7iotions, 
though  in  the  sight  of  God  they  are  in  very  deed  his  equals  : 
who  cannot  overlook  the  fact,  that  they  are  rude,  noisy,  naked, 
and  in  some  outward  matters  even  offensive :  who  cannot  admit 
them  at  all  times  into  his  own  simple  habitation,  but  treats  them, 
as  if  they  were  servants,  and  confines  his  intercourse  with  them 
to  the  hours  of  his  public  duty:  such  a  man  is  destitute  of  the 
one  great  qualification  of  a  Hero-Missionary:  such  a  man  will 
not  bring  souls  to  Christ:  his  name  will  not  sound  stirring  in 
the  legends  of  the  converted  tribe :  he  will  not  be  hailed  as  a 
Father,  on  his  return,  and  wept  for,  as  a  Father,  when  he  dies : 
the  mention  of  his  name  will  not  stay  the  attacks  of  wild  Heathen 
tribes,  as  it  is  reported  in  the  biography  of  John  Williams,  that 
they  spared  a  village y^r  his  sake. 

The  Hero-Missionary,  with  his  supernaturally  enlarged  and 
enlightened  powers  of  vision,  looks  over  the  barriers,  which 
limit  the  view  of  the  less  gifted.  He  admits  indeed,  that 
segregation  from  the  civilized  world,  want  of  opportunity,  a 
different  climate,  a  diff"erence  of  race,  an  absence  of  culture, 
have  made  men  difi"erent,  but  not  necessarily  inferior :  he 
recognizes  the  innate  weaknesses  of  every  son  of  Adam,  which, 
if  uncontrolled,  turn  men  into  devils,  and  the  germs  of  innate 
goodness,  which  exist  in  all,  and  which,  if  developed  by  the 
touch  of  the   Holy  Spirit,  can  transform  some,  whether  their 


(    47    ) 

skins  be  white,  black,  yellow,  or  red,  into  Angels.  It  has 
shocked  me  to  hear  how  some  Missionaries  speak  even  of  their 
own  flocks.  As  regards  the  people  of  North  India,  who  are 
of  our  own  Aryan  bone,  I  can  certify,  that  they  are  good  and 
lovable ;  and  in  my  old  age  I  have  learnt  to  love,  and  esteem, 
and  honour,  men  of  pure  Negro  race,  who  appear  in  some 
matters  to  be  even  of  a  higher  type  than  my  own  countrj^men. 
No  doubt  St.  Paul  was  of  the  highest,  type  of  Gentleman,  and 
Scholar,  of  his  period  ;  yet  we  find  in  his  writings  no  assertion 
of  a  superiority  over  his  converts,  some  of  whom  were  slaves, 
and  yet  dear  brothers :  we  find  in  him,  though  a  Hebrew  of  the 
Hebrews,  and  a  Roman  citizen,  no  assertion  of  caste  over  the 
Galatians ;  he  came  in  contact  with  all,  men  of  Europe,  Asia 
and  Africa,  Jew,  and  Greek,  and  Roman,  bondmen  and  free, 
but  none  were  to  him  common  and  unclean.  Alas,  how  far 
below  this  standard  many  of  our  Missionaries  fall ! 

I  now  pass  to  the  Heroic  Missionary  Society.  I  take  as 
my  type  "  the  Moravian,  or  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  :" 
for  the  Church  and  Society  are  identical.  It  was  the  offspring 
of  a  bitter  persecution  by  the  Roman  Catholics  in  Moravia  :  a 
small  remnant  fled  across  the  boundary  of  hated  Austria  into 
Lusatia,  and  settled  on  the  estate  of  Count  Zinzendorf,  and 
founded  their  city  of  Herrnhut.  I  have  lately  visited  it,  sat  in 
the  Council-room,  conferred  with  the  leaders  of  the  community, 
visited  their  widows,  and  worn-out  iMissionaries,  in  their  humble 
homes,  and  knelt  in  their  great  Friedhof:  they  were  first  in 
the  Protestant  Mission  Field,  they  are  one  of  the  few  Associa- 
tions, that  have  obtained  a  footing  in  every  one  of  the  four 
portions  of  the  non-Christian  world :  and  they  deliberately 
chose  the  most  debased  and  degraded  tribes  as  the  object  of 
their  love,  because  such  as  they  seemed  to  need  the  Gospel 
most :  their  agents  in  truth  wore  the  garb  of  poverty,  and  were 
poor  in  spirit  also  :  in  the  countries,  where  they  worked  among 
slaves,  they  were  ready  to  become  slaves  also,  even  as  our  Lord 
took  upon  Himself  the  form  of  a  slave,  "/to'/j0r/i^  covXov  \dfticu." 
With  the  poor  Hottentot  they  were  not  ashamed  to  sufl"er 
hardship  and  persecution,  and  to  maintain,  that  these  poor  out- 
casts had  souls,  for  which  Christ  had  died  :  with  the  Eskimo  they 
lived  as  brethren,  and  won  them  to  themselves,  content  with 
the  poorest  and  most  unsavoury  fare,  labouring  with  their  own 
hands,  trying  not  to  be  a  burden  to  their  Church,  which  was 
so  poor,  that  it  has  still  to  be  sustained  by  the  alms  of  universal 
Christendom,  for  they  were  doing  work,  which  no  other  Society 
could  do :  they  literally  went  about  as  the  disciples  of  Jesus, 
without  scrip  or  change  of  garment,  and  their  examples  of  self- 
denial  carried  the  hearts  of  their  people  by  storm :  in  these 
last  days  they  have  opened  an  asylum  for  lepers  at  Jerusalem. 


(     48     ) 

Their  doctrines  were  as  simple  as  their  practice,  "  Nothing 
but  Christ  crucified  !  "  They  had  a  courage,  which  no  danger 
could  daunt,  and  a  love,  which  no  harsh  treatment  could  efface  : 
who  ever  heard  of  a  Moravian  appealing  to  public  Meetings, 
or  a  Public  Press,  or  getting  up  Deputations  to  the  Foreign 
Office  of  a  European  Government,  to  organize  armed  relief- 
expeditions,  or  avenge  their  slaughtered  brethren  ?  They  took 
death,  and  the  spoiling  of  their  goods,  joyfully  :  they  had  a  quiet 
constancy,  which  no  hardship  could  exhaust :  there  were,  and 
are,  no  Exeter-Halls  to  trumpet  their  praise  :  in  their  Church 
there  are  no  rich  men  to  subscribe  annual  thousands,  and  yet 
they  have  left  a  mark  on  the  world,  which  no  Time  can 
efface.  Their  types  were  :  singleness  of  purpose,  simplicity  of 
bearing,  self-consecration,  and  contentment  with  a  little.  If  I 
wished  to  praise  a  INIissionary,  I  should  say,  that  he  is  worthy 
of  being  a  Moravian.  Many  Societies  have  done  well,  but  this 
has  excelled  them  all,  for  it  has  most  nearly  approached  to 
the  ideal  Church,  formed  after  the  pattern  of  the  Founder: 
first  and  foremost  in  the  great  battle-field,  yet  seeking  the  last 
and  lowest  among  the  ranks  of  men  : 

I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in  :  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me  :  I  was 
in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me. 

The  blessings  of  those  ready  to  perish  have  accompanied,  and 
still  accompan)',  the  gentle  footfall  of  the  Moravian  brethren, 
as  they  tread  the  soil  of  distant  and  inhospitable  climes,  un- 
known, unpraised,  but  not  unrewarded. 

The  mode  of  conducting  Missions  must  be  Heroic  also.  We 
have  but  one  life  to  keep,  or  lose  :  how  can  we  spend  it  in 
the  best  way  ?  If  souls  are  to  be  won  to  Christ,  it  must  be 
by  men,  or  women,  whose  souls  are  overflowing  with  love  to 
Christ.  I  ask  not  for  ascetics,  or  celibates,  or  adopters  of  the 
native  dress,  or  the  turner  of  the  formal  prayer-wheel,  or  the 
daily  celebrant,  but  such  an  expression  of  character  on  the 
countenance,  such  a  mode  of  utterance^  such  a  voice,  thoughts 
that  move,  words  that  burn,  as  display  Earnestness,  and  that  the 
soul  of  the  Missionary  is  on  fire.  All  human  talents  are  only 
so  far  profitably  employed,  as  they  are  used  to  save  souls  :  all 
human  knowledge  is  of  no  avail,  unless  it  conduces  directly  or 
indirectly  to  the  extension  of  our  Master's  Kingdom :  the 
simple  Gospel  outweighs  it  all,  so  simple  that  all  can  under- 
stand, so  profound,  that  no  one  can  get  beyond  it.  The 
great  Heroes,  of  whom  I  have  spoken,  and  the  great 
Missionary  band  of  Moravian  Heroes,  differed  from  each 
other  essentially,  but  they  had  formed  the  same  conception  of 
Christ,  and  of  their  duty:  they  looked  over  the  human  fences  of 
Churches,  and  saw  the  awful  vision  of  the  face  of  Christ  only: 
they  had  a  burning  desire  to  carry  His  message  face  to  face, 


(    49    ) 

mouth  to  mouth,  in  its  naked  simplicity :  they  thought  nothing 
of  Chapels,  and  Altar-cloths,  stoles,  music,  painted  glass  and 
decoration  :  they  took  the  living  Word  to  dying  souls,  teaching 
the  poor  Heathen  to  live  decent  holy  lives  in  this  transitory 
world,  and  through  Faith  to  inherit  eternal  lives  hereafter. 
There  was  no  necessity  for  hair  shirts  or  flagellations,  for  long 
ceremonies,  or  Retreats  :  theirs  was  the  daily  round  of  holy  duty, 
whether  steering  the  Mission-Ship,  .building  the  Mission- 
School,  or  preaching  the  Mission-Sermon,  until  the  very  hour 
that  they  are  called  away,  which  is  the  best  proof,  that  their 
allotted  task  was  done.  I  would  have  you  realize  the  dignity, 
the  greatness  of  the  office :  it  is  not  a  romantic,  or  sentimental, 
employment,  such  as  discoursing  with  Brahmans  under  a  tree, 
or  gathering  sweet  little  children  in  a  school :  there  is  much 
that  is  distasteful,  and  humbling,  and  sometimes  a  feeling  of 
despair. 

The  Hero  must  not  be  cast  down,  must  not,  be  diverted  from 
his  purpose,  must  not  change  his  ground.  We  can  admire  the 
perseverance  of  a  bad  man  in  a  bad  cause,  how  much  more  of  a 
good  man  in  a  good  cause !  Though  for  long  years  they  may 
have  toiled  and  done  nothing,  yet  at  His  word  they  again  cast 
down  their  nets.  The  famous  Las  Casas  had  a  fixed  purpose 
to  protect  the  poor  natives  of  America,  and  he  is  reported  to 
have  done  something  every  day  of  his  life  to  advance  the  one 
great  idea,  which  dominated  his  existence.  Hudson  Taylor 
has  put  it  well : 

Go  in  glad  obedience  :  in  fullest  confidence,  without  anxiety,  to  do  a  definite 
work. 

Such  is  the  high  type,  such  the  practice  of  those  Hero-Mis- 
sionaries, whom  I  have  noticed.  They  verily  knew  how  to  die 
daily :  as  servants  of  the  Most  High,  they  did  not  strive,  or  cry, 
or  murmur,  or  appeal  to  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh,  but  suffered  even 
as  their  great  Example  had  suffered  also. 

Does  the  modern  Missionary,  as  a  class,  rise  to  this  high 
level  ?  I  speak  not  of  one  Nation,  or  one  Society,  or  one 
Denomination.  I  have  been  a  close  observer  of  the  Missionary 
in  his  goings-out  and  comings-in  for  forty  years,  seen  them  in 
their  fields  of  work,  read  their  reports  in  many  languages,  visited 
Training  Colleges,  and  sat  in  many  Committee  Rooms.  I  think 
there  is  a  falling  off  from  the  Heroic  type,  and  a  tendency  on 
their  part  to  make  themselves  too  comfortable,  somehow  or 
other  to  connect  the  office  of  Missionary  with  the  opportunity 
of  early  marriage,  to  take  the  matter  too  lightly.  It  is  not 
pretended,  that  Missionaries  must  not  take  proper  care  of  their 
lives,  and  protect  themselves  from  the  climate  :  they  are  bound 
to  do  so,  and  the  INIissionary  Societies  are  bound  to  provide 
them  with  the  means  for  doing  so.     Nothing  would  be  more 


(     50    ) 

wron£>-  than  to  fall  into  the  errors  of  a  certain  well-known 
American  Mission,  where  nothing  is  provided,  where  the 
Missionary  is  supposed  to  support  himself  by  his  labours,  and 
in  consequence  grows  weak  and  ill  on  a  Native  diet,  unsuited 
to  his  European  constitution,  and  in  a  Native  hut.  This  is 
a  wanton  trifling  with  valuable  lives.  But  it  is  the  tendency 
of  our  age  to  be  soft  and  effeminate  and  luxurious  in  every- 
thing ;  there  is  a  general  softening  of  that  fibre,  on  which 
strength  of  character,  self-denial,  and  consecration,  depends. 
Young  men  desire  an  income,  a  wife,  and  a  home  :  they  are  not 
very  ambitious,  not  very  earnest :  they  rather  shun  the  hard 
lives  on  the  track  of  secular  employment,  on  which  they  and 
their  contemporaries  have  started :  they  covet  the  improved 
social  position.  How  much  we  have  fallen  from  the  standard 
of  our  countrymen,  Columba  of  lona,  Columbanus,  Aidan  of 
Lindisfarne,  St.  Gall,  Boniface  of  Exeter !  How  wide  is  the 
difference  of  the  easy-going  Missionary  from  the  type  that  has 
come  down  to  us  of  the  early  Christians  I  St.  Paul  gave  up  all 
these  things  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  for  the  extension  of 
the  Redeemer's  Kingdom.  It  is  time,  that  severer,  loftier, 
more  heroic,  sentiments  should  be  pressed  home.  It  seems 
a  shame  to  make  the  comparison,  but  it  must  be  made.  No 
young  Military  officer,  or  Civilian,  or  INIerchant,  of  the  age  of 
23,  whose  lot  was  cast  in  a  foreign  country,  would  burden 
himself  with  a  family:  some  might  like  to  do  so,  but  their 
circumstances  forbid  it.  The  outer  world,  and  the  Roman 
Catholic  press,  scoff  at  this  conspicuous  phase  of  Protestant 
Missionary  life,  which  terribly  impedes  the  Lord's  work,  and 
entails  a  vast  waste  of  the  alms  of  the  Churches  collected  to 
Evangelize  the  Heathen.  There  may  come  a  time  in  a  INIis- 
sionary's  life,  when  Matrimony  may  be  of  advantge  to  the  work 
of  the  Mission,  but  not  in  his  tender  years,  when  he  should 
be  out  among  his  people,  prepared  for  long  journeys,  and 
transfers  to  distant  localities.  St.  Paul,  has  not  been  silent  in 
word  and  example  on  this  subject.  Then,  again,  the  British 
training  is  not  such  as  to  make  a  young  man  prepared  to  bear 
hardship.  I  have  visited  the  Training  Colleges  of  Germany, 
and  they  contrast  favourably.  I  found  on  inquiry,  that  such  a 
thing  as  an  engagement  to  be  married  is  not  permitted.  The 
student  there  works  in  the  garden  and  the  carpenter's  shop, 
does  menial  services  in  the  House,  and  yet  is  a  Hebraist  and  a 
Grecian.  Such  employments  sharpen  the  intellect,  and  rouse 
latent  powers.  John  Williams  owed  much  of  his  influence  to 
his  skill  as  a  blacksmith.  Bishop  Sehvyn  the  Elder  could  not 
have  done  what  he  did  do,  had  he  not  been  an  expert  manager 
of  a  craft,  and  a  man  fertile  in  resource. 

Let  me  look  at  the  subject  from  another  point  of  view.     How 


(    51    ) 

much  do  we  read  in  Missionary  Letters  and  Reports  of  their 
families,  birth  of  children,  death  of  children,  illness  of  wife  and 
domestic  cares,  while  the  reader  is  anxious  to  know,  how  the 
Gospel-warfare  goes  on,  what  progress  has  been  made.  Only 
imagine  the  public  despatch  of  a  General  or  Governor,  in  which 
such  details  were  even  alluded  to  !  In  private  letters  to  friends 
such  things  might  be  noticed,  but  not  in  the  documents  sent 
home  to  be  placed  before  the  Committee.  Nothing  strikes  a 
Committee-man  more  than  the  preponderate  proportion  of  the 
correspondence,  which  is  occupied  with  notices  of  the  wives 
and  children  of  Missionaries,  as  if  the  Committee  were  a  Board 
of  Guardians  of  the  Poor,  the  Trustees  of  an  orphan-Home,  and 
not  the  Directors  of  a  great  Association  to  carry  the  Gospel  to 
the  Heathen.  How  often  a  Missionary  comes  home  in  full 
health  and  vigour,  leaving  for  a  time,  or  for  ever,  a  field  of 
work,  for  which  he  is  suited,  and  in  which,  after  some  years  of 
pupilage,  he  has  learned  to  be  useful,  because  his  wife  is  ill ! 
Would  the  General  commanding  an  Expedition,  or  the  Governor 
of  a  Province,  have  done  so  .?  How  often  the  Indian  official,  or 
soldier,  has  to  ship  ofT  a  sick  wife,  and  cannot  accompany  her, 
and  is  doomed  never  to  see  her  again  I  We  have  not  far  to  look 
to  find  out  what  St.  Paul  would  have  said,  and  what  our  Lord 
did  say  (Mark  x.  zq).  Even  in  the  life  of  John  Williams  we 
find  mention  of  the  illness  of  his  wife  brought  much  too 
prominently  forward :  he  was  always  anticipating  the  necessity 
of  an  early  return  to  England  for  her  sake  ;  but  he  clung  on 
for  1 8  years,  and  she  arrived  home  in  excellent  health,  and 
outlived  him  some  years.  It  is  against  this  exaggeration  of 
human  affections,  that  the  servant  of  Christ  should  struggle 
valiantly  and  prayerfully.  We  require  a  higher  scale  of  conse- 
cration, a  more  dauntless  and  unreserved  surrender  of  life,  and 
its  joys. 

The  glamour  of  public  meetings,  and  the  indiscriminating 
clamour  of  INIissionary  Periodicals,  teeming  with  misplaced, 
euphemistic,  and  exaggerated  praise,  is  enough  to  destroy  the 
spiritual  state  of  any  but  the  stoutest-hearted  Missionary : 
what  wonder,  if  he  becomes  puffed  up,  and  thinks  himself  some- 
body, and  that  he  has  made  a  great  sacrifice  in  going  to  Persia, 
India,  or  China,  forgetting  how  much  his  worldly  prospects 
and  social  position  have  been  advanced,  how  well  he  and  his 
children  are  looked  after,  how  different  in  most  cases  would 
have  been  his  circumstances,  had  he  followed  the  profession  of 
his  parents  and  brothers.  There  are  giants  amidst  the  body  of 
IMissionaries,  for  whom  nothing  is  too  good,  for  they  would  in 
secular  professions  have  risen  to  distinction  and  wealth,  but  to 
a  very  large  proportion  this  would  not  have  happened.  The 
praise  of  the  good  self-denying  consecrated  Missionary  is  in 


(      52      ) 

the  heart  of  all,  who  care  for  such  things,  and  many,  unknown 
to  him  personally,  talk  lovingly  of  him,  when  he  is  absent,  and 
sadly,  when  he  is  dead ;  but  the  great  Missionary  is  thinking 
always  of  his  own  infirmity,  of  how  much  he  has  left  undone, 
and  how  much  he  could  have  done  better,  and  rejoicing,  that  it 
is  given  to  him  to  spend  and  be  spent.  There  is  in  modern 
times  a  far  wider  spread  of  Missionary  Spirit  than  in  past  years, 
but  it  is  not  so  deep  :  it  has  become  a  fashion,  not  a  revelation 
in  a  man's  mind  :  a  social  tendency,  not  a  personal  call :  a 
Profession  of  a  gentleman,  not  the  Cotisecration  of  a  Christian. 

We  find  no  idle  calls  on  the  part  of  the  Heroic  Missionary 
Society,  or  the  survivors  and  relatives  of  Hero-Missionaries, 
for  vengeance  on  the  murderers  of  the  slain  ;  this  is  one  of 
the  features  of  the  gradual  degeneracy  of  the  age,  and  the  over- 
weening self-assertion  of  a  certain  section  of  the  British  INIiddle 
Classes.  It  is  well  to  have  a  Giant's  strength,  but  it  is  not  well 
to  use  it  as  a  bully.  Nothing  would  have  been  easier  than  to 
have  swept  the  Islands  of  Erromanga  and  Nikapu  from  sea 
to  sea  clean  of  all  their  inhabitants,  to  revenge  the  deaths  of 
Williams  and  Patteson  ;  but  the  Missionary  Societies  protested 
against  the  very  idea  of  retaliation,  nor  would  the  British  re- 
sponsible Authorities  have  tolerated  it.  The  relations  of  the 
deceased  did  not  gather  excited  meetings  in  British  towns,  and 
pass  Resolutions,  as  in  later  cases,  to  petition  the  Government 
to  send  expeditions  of  rescue,  or  intimidation.  Such  weakness 
of  faith,  such  want  of  sound  judgment,  such  incomprehensible 
misunderstanding  of  the  duty  of  a  Christian  man,  were  reserved 
to  a  later  age.  On  the  Platform  the  Missionary  proudly,  yet 
humbly,  professes,  that  he  carries  his  life  in  his  hand,  ready 
to  live,  God  willing,  and  ready  to  die  :  if  this  were  not  the  case, 
how  low  the  British  Missionary  would  rank  after  the  Swede, 
the  Norwegian,  and  the  Swiss,  who  have  no  ships  to  send,  and 
whose  countrymen  still  are  ready  to  give  up  their  lives,  and 
fill  up  all  that  remains  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ.  If  a 
Missionary  has  not  stomach  for  such  warfare,  he  had  better 
retire  into  the  safe  refuge  of  a  London  Curacy,  or  a  Lancashire 
IManufactory,  where  he  will  find  heathen  to  minister  to,  without 
risk  to  his  life,  or  causing  alarm  to  his  over-anxious  relations. 

The  Hero-Missionary  remembers,  that  his  service  is  a  life- 
service,  not  the  pastime  of  youth,  or  the  employment  of  manhood, 
until  a  good  piece  of  preferment,  and  a  pleasant  home,  is 
provided  for  him  in  his  native  country.  Nothing  is  so  dis- 
heartening as  to  see  so  many  instances  of  this  forgetfulness  of 
their  first  love,  and  of  the  words  of  our  Lord  (Luke  ix.  62),  "  No 
man,  having  put  his  hand  to  the  plough,  and  looking  back,  is 
fit  for  the  Kingdom  of  God."  There  should  be  no  discharge  in 
this  warfare  save  death,  or  certified  ill-health  of  the  Missionary 


(    53    ) 

himself,  not  of  his  wife  and  his  children.  It  is  a  matter  of  con- 
gratulation, that  we  have  aged  Bishops  content  to  occupy  their 
posts  until  Death,  that  we  have  aged  Missionaries,  who  have 
not  preferred  the  ties  of  blood,  or  the  claims  of  family,  to  the 
work,  which  has  been  the  desire  of  theii-  youth,  the  joy  of  their 
manhood,  and  the  solace  of  their  old  age. 

Such  men  desire,  when  their  time  comes,  to  die  like  warriors 
on  the  field  of  battle,  and  to  be  buried  under  the  shadow  of  the 
chapel,  which  their  own  hands  erected,  kmidst  the  flock,  which 
their  own  words  had  brought  to  God.  "  Here  am  I,  Lord,  and  the 
children,  whom  Thou  hast  given  me."  It  was  well  said  by  a 
Bishop,  that  his  death  at  his  post  may  do  much  more  than  his 
life,  and  he  practised  what  he  preached,  and  is  buried  behind 
the  Communion-table  of  the  Cathedral,  which  he  had  himself 
constructed. 

The  Hero-Missionary  is  tender  in  heart,  gentle  in  words,  slow 
to  anger,  and  easily  pacified.  He  is  not  insensible  of  the  heinous- 
ness  of  sin,  but  his  heart  melts  in  pity  towards  the  sinner.  He 
does  not  strike  with  his  hand  or  stick  the  bodies  of  the  poor 
natives,  whose  souls  he  has  come  out  to  try  to  save  :  he  does 
not  usurp  an  authority  over  them,  because  his  face  is  white,  and 
he  is  one  of  a  strong  Nation,  as  he  remembers,  that  he  is  their 
minister,  the  servant  of  servants,  as  was  his  Master,  who  washed 
the  feet  of  his  disciples :  he  does  not  tie  them  up  to  trees  to  be 
flogged,  and  kept  in  durance  for  whole  nights,  but  he  attaches 
them  to  himself  by  the  silken  cords  of  love.  He  came  among 
these  poor  children  of  Nature,  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister. 

He  may  be  the  son  of  a  noble  in  his  own  country,  and  he  is 
not  pufi'ed  up,  or  he  may  be  the  son  of  a  country-shopkeeper, 
and  he  is  not  abashed,  nor  does  he  strive  in  his  new  profession 
to  be  conventionally  treated  as  a  gentleman,  for  in  his  humility 
he  takes  in  either  case  the  standpoint  of  being  a  Christian,  occu- 
pying the  same  position,  that  was  occupied  by  Paul  the  great 
scholar  and  Roman  citizen,  and  by  Peter  the  humble  fisherman 
of  Galilee :  he  seeks  not  high  places,  nor  great  companies,  nor 
first-class  accommodation  in  Steamers  or  Railways:  he  is  econo- 
mic of  the  funds  of  the  good  Society,  which  is  his  nursing  mother; 
he  is  not  always  calling  out  for  grants  for  his  wife,  or  his  children: 
he  does  not  desire  to  dwell  in  a  fine  comfortable  house,  for  he 
minds  not  high  things,  and  is  content  with  men  of  low  estate : 
his  door  is  ever  open  to  the  people,  whom  he  came  to  win  to 
Christ :  his  attire  is  simple,  and  he  seeks  not  the  company  of 
men  of  this  world,  though  indirectly  the  type  of  the  holy  upright 
man,  which  he  presents  to  their  eyes,  has  a  reflex  blessing  on 
their  souls  :  though  silent,  his  life  is  a  sermon  to  them.  He 
acts  up  to  the  ideal  of  the  Christian  soldier,  which  he  had  con- 


(     54    ) 

ceived  in  his  youth,  when  the  message  came  to  him,  when  the 
Holy  Spirit  overshadowed  him :  to  be  brave  and  strong,  yet 
loving  and  tender:  full  of  holy  ardour,  yet  self-controlled,  and 
free  from  spurious  excitement:  firm  in  convictions,  yet  tolerant: 
firm  of  purpose,  yet  merciful  and  considerate :  meek  and  lowly, 
yet  proud  of  his  calling :  fearing  God,  yet  fearing  no  one  else. 
My  friends,  you  must  be  thoroughly  equipped  for  the  combat 
with  something  more  than  the  surface-teaching  of  the  ordinary 
Theological  College.  One  of  my  fellow-students,  forty  years  ago, 
at  the  East  India  College,  was  a  Jew,  a  believing  Jew,  and  a  clever 
Jew,  and  he  took  the  highest  marks  in  Paley's  Evidences  of 
Christianity.  I  asked  him,  whether  he  were  not  entirely  con- 
vinced, and  he  replied,  that  it  had  not  the  least  effect  upon  him. 
Such  must  often  be  the  teaching  of  the  ordinary  Missionary  to  a 
Hindu,  a  Buddhist,  a  Mahometan,  and  to  a  certain  degree  to  the 
Pagan.  It  is  always  easy  to  speak  with  contempt  of  the  Indian 
Fakir,  smeared  with  ashes,  and  sneer  at  the  prayer-wheel  of  the 
Buddhist  (something  very  like  which  in  kind  is  found  in  many  a 
Christian  Church),  and  point  out  the  blots  in  the  Mahometan 
scheme  of  Salvation :  it  seems  easy  to  show  up  the  utter  abomina- 
tion of  Pagan  Human  Sacrifices;  but  the  Missionary  will  find, 
that  behind  these  exoteric  symbols  there  is  a  radical  misconcep- 
tion of  the  problem  of  human  nature  in  the  minds  of  the  pro- 
fessors of  a  lalse  Religion,  and  behind  the  poor  ignorant  devotee 
he  will  find  men  with  minds  much  more  subtle  than  his  own, 
gifted  with  a  power  of  argument  far  exceeding  his  own,  appeal- 
ing to  authorities,  of  which  the  Missionary  is  ignorant,  and  the 
uninterrupted  practice  of  centuries.  The  idol  is  something  more 
to  the  believer  than  a  bit  of  wood  and  stone :  the  believers  are 
not  men  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and  with  the  impress'  of 
European  training.  To  miracles  and  prophecies,  quoted  by  the 
Missionary,  the  teachers  and  believers  of  the  false  Faith  will 
quote  prophecies  and  miracles  of  their  own :  to  the  words  of 
the  Bible,  and  the  claim  of  Inspiration,  they  will  oppose  the 
words  of  their  own  sacred  books,  and  claim  equal  supernatural 
authority:  the  sequence  of  historical  events,  and  the  facts  of 
geography,  are  unknown  to  them:  it  becomes  at  last  a  struggle 
for  life  upon  the  first  principles  of  human  existence,  and  the 
contest  must  take  place  upon  an  arena,  of  which  the  poor 
theological  student  of  England  never  dreamt,  behind  the  altar, 
out  of  .sight  of  the  Church,  in  scorn  of  the  Bible,  or  any  Christian 
authority,  and  nothing  but  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
can  bring  the  unbeliever  to  see,  and  know,  and  bow  to  the  Truth. 
The  Hindu  in  his  prolific  literature  works  out  his  great  meta- 
physical question,  ''What  am  I?  whence  came  I?  whither  do 
I  go  .^  " 

Tioo  '•/ei/ojiiai  ;   7r66ei>  cl'fii ;    tiuo^  X"/^'"  ijXOoi/j  cnrijXOoi' ; 


(     55     ) 

"And  it  ends  in  Nothingness :  his  successor  the  Buddhist 
makes  this  Nothingness  the  object,  aim,  and  end  of  existence  : 
the  Mahometan  boldly  pillages  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
to  fashion  a  system,  which  can  never  respond  to  the  yearnings 
of  the  human  heart,  or  satisfy  its  aspirations  :  the  poor  Pagan 
in  his  blindness  is  so  far  ahead  of  the  modern  educated  Atheist, 
that  he  feels  and  admits  the  presence  of  the  Deity  and  His 
omnipotence,  and  tries  to  appease  Him  by  sacrifices;  with  him 
it  is  not  the  cultivation,  but  the  creation'  of  Faith,  that  has  to  be 
undertaken :  he  is  ready,  however,  to  listen  to  something  better, 
and  welcomes  the  Teacher,  who  comes  with  a  semblance  of 
greater  knowledge  of  the  great  Unknown.  We  read  how, 
when  the  first  Missionary  arrived  from  Rome  in  Northumbria, 
and  a  Council  was  summoned  to  discuss  how  he  should  be 
received,  a  wise  old  baron  remarked,  that  the  life  of  man  seemed 
to  them  in  their  heathen  ignorance,  like  the  flight  of  a  bird  out 
of  the  dark  winter  outside  into  the  warm  and  lighted  chamber, 
and  then  out  at  a  windov/  into  another  world  of  dark  winter  at 
the  opposite  side ;  the  passage  of  a  moment  from  a  long 
unknown  Past  into  a  long  and  unknown  Future  :  the  contem- 
plation of  this  was  crushing ;  and,  if  the  stranger  from  Rome 
could  tell  them  something  a  little  more  certain,  he  should  be 
welcomed.  Such  is  the  spirit,  with  which  a  Teacher  is 
welcomed  in  many  a  Pagan  Community.  But  is  the  ordinary 
INIissionary equal  to  this  occasion.?  Bred  up  in  an  atmosphere 
permeated  by  Darwinism,  Pantheism,  and  Atheism,  or  in  a 
Church,  where  more  value  is  placed  on  the  human  surround- 
ings, the  ritual  and  the  externals,  than  the  Eternal  Truth, 
can  it  be  hoped,  that  he  will  mount  up  to  the-  level  of  the 
Religion  of  Religions,  the  object  and  aim  of  human  existence, 
and  with  the  Bible  in  his  hand  and  in  his  heart,  a^id  tiothing 
else,  grapple  with  the  Hindu,  Buddhist,  Mahometan,  or  Pagan 
on  the  common  ground  of  Right  and  Wrong,  Truth  and  False- 
hood, Judgment  and  Mercy,  Sin  and  Repentance,  Pardon  and 
Peace,  opening  out  new  worlds  of  thought  to  his  astonished 
hearers  1  The  Hero-Missionary  can  do  this.  He  illustrates 
his  principles,  and  his  doctrines,  in  his  Christ-like  life,  and 
words,  and  challenges  his  hearers  to  show  him  a  better  way 
than  the  way  of  self-sacrifice,  self-control,  and  self-consecration, 
to  produce  a  higher  conception  than  that  of  the  Fatherhood 
of  God,  of  Faith  in  a  Redeemer,  of  the  presence  and  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  leading  poor  weak  men  to  personal  holiness. 
There  are  plenty  of  men,  who  will  volunteer  to  go  out,  and 
dwell  a  season  amidst  the  polished  Persian,  the  civilized  Arabized 
races,  the  Indian,  who,  with  all  his  faults,  is  gentle  and  reason- 
able, the  intelligent  Chinese,  and  the  progressive  Japanese. 
They  represent  Nations   on  the  highest  rounds  of  the  ladder 


(     56    ) 

of  civilisation,  our  superiors  in  many  arts  and  graces,  with 
their  Monuments  of  Literature,  and  Architecture,  and  their 
time-honoured  customs :  they  have  centuries  ago  got  beyond 
the  epoch  of  human  sacrifices,  and  cannibalism :  they  have  had 
in  their  midst  great  Sages,  who  felt  after  God,  if  haply  they 
could  find  Him,  men  standing  on  the  same  platform,  as 
Socrates,  and  Aristotle,  and  Pythagoras.  There  is  very  little 
discomfort  in  such  service,  and  no  danger :  mere  worldlings 
dwell  among  such  races  for  the  purpose  of  Commerce,  and  the 
service  of  the  State.  We  do  not  wish  to  undervalue  such 
services,  for  such  were  the  Missionary  operations  of  St.  Paul 
among  the  Greeks  and  Romans.  The  process  of  sapping 
and  mining  in  some  countries  has  long  been  going  on. 
Education  has  brought  with  it  a  contempt  for  Idolatry,  but 
Civilisation  has  brought  with  it  a  contempt  for  all  Religions, 
and  a  disbelief  in  the  Supernatural,  a  doubt  as  to  the  reality 
of  a  Future  State,  and  fantastical  notions  not  authorized  by 
the  Bible. 

But  this  is  not  the  higher  order  of  service :  it  does  not 
mean  the  same  self-sacrifice  :  it  does  not  approach  so  near 
the  services,  rendered  to  INIan  by  our  Saviour :  our  Lord  abased 
himself,  when  he  took  the  form  of  a  slave,  and  became  Man  for 
our  redemption.  He  thought  it  not  vile  to  dwell  in  the  tents 
of  men,  and  associate  with  the  poor  erring  children  of  men. 
Patteson  and  John  Williams,  and  the  whole  army  of  Moravian 
Missionaries,  learnt  to  look  over  the  wall  of  partition,  that 
separates  race  from  race,  and  to  call  no  one  common  and 
unclean :  there  have  been  IMissionaries,  who  have  had  the 
fortitude  given  to  them  to  go  in,  and  dwell  among  lepers,  and 
have  succumbed  to  the  disease  themselves :  there  are  those, 
who  have  found  a  Grace  vouchsafed  to  them  to  dwell  among 
the  poor  dirty  savage  outcasts  of  the  human  family,  to  submit 
to  insult,  hardship  and  perils:  to  die  in  spirit  every  day,  and  at 
length  breathe  out  their  last  breath  in  some  round  straw-hut, 
looking  to  Jesus,  yet  still  thinking  of  friends  and  home. 

Dulces  moriens  reminiscitur  Argos. 

But  there  was  no  murmuring,  for  they  knew  how  to  be  humbled, 
but  not  ashamed,  to  be  cast  down,  but  not  disheartened,  bearing 
about  them  the  marks  of  the  spear  in  their  sides,  and  the 
print  of  the  nails  on  their  hands  and  feet.  The  service  of 
such  was  great  and  noble  :  the  heart  of  the  worldling  beats 
high,  when  he  hears  of  such  achievements,  and  he  recognizes 
the  grandeur  of  the  life,  though  he  is  blind  to  the  motive,  and 
the  power.  Surely  there  must  be  joy  in  Heaven,  when  one  of 
the  miserable  savages,  to  the  outward  eye  nearer  the  beast 
than  the  man,  is  brought  into  the  fold,  and  his  body  becomes 


(     57     ) 

the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  Christ  in  very  deed  died 
for  him  also.  The  self-sacrificing  Missionary  teaches  the 
men  to  be  brave,  yet  not  cruel,  and  the  women  to  be  sweet 
and  affectionate,  yet  not  unchaste  :  out  of  the  stores  of  his 
acquired  experience  he  teaches  them  humble  arts,  and  the  very 
rudiments  of  knowledge,  the  very  fundamental  of  human  graces, 
to  be  decent  in  act  and  word,  to  respect  human  life,  to  recognize 
property,  to  be  sober  and  chaste,  to  love  God  as  a  Father, 
and  cease  to  fear  Him  like  a  slave,  to  bow  in  gratitude  to 
the  free  offer  of  pardon  :  and  yet  all  this  is  possible  :  it  has 
been  done,  it  may  be  done  again :  it  must  be  done  by  some  of 
you,  who  stand  here,  and  hear  me  this  day  :   "  eV  tovtw  viKa" 

It  will  be  nothing  wonderful,  if  in  due  time  we  convert  the 
people  of  India,  China,  and  the  extreme  Orient.  They  are 
not  wiser  and  stronger  than  were  the  Greeks  and  Romans  in 
the  day  of  their  greatness,  and  we  know  that  the  Cross  proved 
sufficient  for  their  conversion.  And  experience  has  shown, 
that  the  same  Cross  is  sufficient  for  races,  whom  Caesar  never 
knew,  of  whose  existence  the  Greek  Philosophers,  and  even  St. 
Paul,  had  not  the  faintest  idea.  We  thus  begin  to  realize  the 
full  meaning  of  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  : 

The  Isles  shall  wait  for  His  Law. 
And  the  words  of  our  Lord  : 

They  shall  gather  His  elect  from  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  Earth. 
And  again,  in  the  Revelations : 

Behold  a  great  number,  whom  no  man  can  number,  out  of  every  Nation,  and 
all  tribes,  and  peoples  and  tongues. 

It  it  only  after  an  all-round  perusal  of  Missionary  Reports, 
that  I  am  able  to  difTerentiate  the  degree  of  self-sacrifice  of 
Missionaries  in  different  Felds.  How  light  seems  the  burden  of 
the  comfortable  Missionary  in  China  and  India,  when  contrasted 
with  that  of  his  brother  in  Africa  or  New  Guinea !  They  are 
indeed  Apostles  of  the  ancient  type. 

There  are  three  classes,  in  one  or  other  of  which  you  must, 
as  Christian  men,  range  yourselves  : 

I.  Whatever  secular  station  you  occupy,  whether  at  home  or 
abroad,  you  must  place  the  duty  of  assisting  the  evangelizing 
of  mankind  in  the  very  first  rank  of  duties,  for  nothing  can 
approach  it  in  importance  :  if  your  lot  takes  you  to  non-Christian 
countries,  you  will  find  plenty  of  opportunities  to  serve  the 
cause,  and  bitterly  you  wull  regret  in  your  old  age,  if  you 
neglect  your  opportunities. 

II.  If  you  have  a  call  to  go  forth,  as  a  Missionary  to  the 
civilized  non-Christian  Nations,  if  you  find  yourself  in  possession 
of  special  gifts,  consecrate  them  :  do  not  take  a  worldly  view  of 
the  subject,  and  mix  up  a  Mission  to  a  dying  world  with  visions 
of   early   matrimony,  social  advantage,  and  a  pleasant  career. 


(     58     ) 

IMere  worldlings  act  thus.  J\Iany  a  soldier,  many  a  student  of 
Nature,  many  a  ruler  of  men,  have  risen  far  above  such  a  low 
level  of  human  aspirations.  The  Athlete,  and  the  Mechanic, 
give  you  a  lesson.  Show  to  the  Heathen,  that  you  come  among 
them,  understanding  the  law  of  self-sacrifice,  and  that  you  come 
not,  as  the  haughty  Briton,  one  who  lords  it  over,  and  some- 
times strikes  or  ill-uses  the  lower  races,  but  as  their  brother, 
and  their  servant  for  Christ's  sake. 

III.  But  let  me  show  a  more  excellent  way  to  those,  who 
are  strong  in  body,  strong  in  spirit,  and  also  have  worked  out 
the  sublime  idea  of  self-sacrifice  and  self-consecration.  The 
call  will  come  to  some  of  you,  as  it  has  come  to  others,  in  your 
dreams  by  night,  in  your  visions  by  day,  as  you  walk  alone,  or 
are  in  prayer,  or  in  the  midnight-watches.  It  will  gradually 
overpower  you,  and  make  you  captive,  and  at  length  you  will 
call  out  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Send  me.  Lord,  for  I  am  ready." 
For  still  many  a  sunny  island  of  the  South  Seas,  many  a  retired 
valley  of  the  great  central  Plateau  of  Asia,  many  a  dark  forest- 
clad  Savannah  of  the  great  valley  of  the  Kongo,  many  a  wild 
tribe  of  South  America,  and,  alas  !  our  own  fellow-subjects,  the 
neglected,  ill-treated,  Australian  aborigines,  and  the  poor  Bush- 
men of  the  Cape  Colony,  are  waiting,  waiting  for  the  moving 
of  the  waters  of  the  Fountain  of  Life,  and  for  some  one  to 
help  them  down  :  lifting  up  their  eyes  for  the  sight  of  the 
blessed  feet  of  those,  who  bring  the  Gospel-message  :  calling, 
calling  for  their  man,  the  Allen  Gardiner,  and  Patteson,  and 
Williams,  of  this  generation  :  they  are  standing  in  your  midst, 
though  not  as  yet  revealed  to  the  eyes  of  men.  In  the  long 
course  of  centuries  no  Prophet  or  Evangelist  has  ever  come 
near  these  poor  heathen :  they  have  laid  out  of  the  course  of 
the  Revolution  of  the  Gospel:  they  are  waiting  for  one,  who,  in 
his  life  as  well  as  his  words,  will  illustrate  to  them  the  Life  and 
Passion  of  our  Lord,  and  their  Lord  :  they  ask  not  for  the  refine- 
ment, nor  the  fantasies  of  modern  religious  thought  and  practice, 
but  with  dumb  voices  they  ask  the  nlen  of  the  Nineteenth 
Century,  and  Civilized  Europe,  to  teach  them  to  clothe  their 
nakedness,  to  dwell  in  decent  dwellings,  to  cluster  in  villages, 
to  live  with  one  consort,  and  to  respect  human  life,  to  do  all 
things  in  a  Christian  way,  and  to  realize  the  presence  of  the 
Risen  Saviour.  In  the  last  desperate  struggling  of  heathendom 
it  may  be,  that  the  man  of  God,  who  thus  appears  like  an  angel 
among  them,  will  be  killed,  and  devoured  ;  but  his  death  will 
prove  the  dawn  of  the  new  life :  over  the  martyr-tomb  will 
spring  up  the  new  Chapel,  and  the  younger  generation,  who 
witnessed  the  slaughter,  and  partook  of  the  terrible  feast,  will, 
by  the  Grace  of  God,  be  converted  and  made  new  men,  and,  like 
St.  Paul,  become  Evangelists.    When  their  day  of  Grace  comes, 


(     59     ) 

and  they  understand  the  matter,  like  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  a 
few  days  after  the  Crucifixion,  they  will  be  pricked  to  the  heart. 
History  is  always  repeating  itself;  but  on  this  generation,  the 
men  of  your  age  and  country,  rests  the  duty  of  completing 
the  work,  till  the  Gospel  cover  the  earth,  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea.  At  the  present  moment  there  are  regions  still  un- 
evangelized,  sufferings  for  Christ's  sake  not  yet  suffered,  and 
crowns  of  Martyrs  and  Confessors  not  yet  won.  The  resources  of 
Christianity,  the  capacities  of  Christian  men,-are  notyet  exhausted. 

Finally,  my  dear  Friends,  suffer  me  to  say  to  you  one  word 
more,  and  this  word  applies  not  only  to  the  Missionary,  whose 
vocation  is  the  highest  of  earthly  vocations,  but  to  each  one  of 
us,  however  humble  and  prosaic  our  special  vocation  may  be. 
What  were  we  created  for  ?  Why  are  we  kept  alive,  except  to 
do  some  special  work,  which  is  marked  out  for  us  by  the 
inexorable  teaching  of  circumstances,  circumstances  which  are 
controlled  by  the  omniscience  of  God  1  Ho.w  can  we  succeed 
in  any  work,  if  our  attempts  are  not  sanctified  by  prayer ! 
"  Labora  et  Ora,"  for  true  Prayer  is  something  done  in  the 
service  of  the  Master,  followed  by  Praise  for  being  selected  to 
do  it,  not  the  empty  litany,  or  the  conventional  Prayer-meeting. 
Say  what  we  like,  we  are  all  day-lahourers,  and  he  serves  his 
God  best,  who  does  his  day's  work  in  the  best  manner,  and  in 
the  best  spirit.  None  miss  so  entirely  the  mainspring  of  human 
action,  as  those,  who  strive  to  dissociate  religion  from  the 
simple  round,  the  common  task  of  the  most  prosaic,  the  most 
unromantic,  the  most  depressing,  lot  in  life. 

It  is  not  success,  that  sanctifies  the  work,  for  many  of 
the  best  of  us  in  our  noblest  undertakings  do  not  succeed. 
We  are  thwarted  by  some  narrow-minded  obstructors  standing 
on  the  next  round  of  the  ladder  above  us  :  we  are  baffled  at 
every  turn,  and  at  length  laid  aside  by  Poverty,  Sickness,  or 
Death.  It  is  not  striving  that  wins  :  the  race  is  not  to  the 
swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the  strong.  We  must  not  look  for  the 
selfish  satisfaction  of  thinking,  that  we  have  done  something : 
we  must  not  hope  for  the  applause  of  bystanders,  for  the  foolish 
multitude  generally  praise  the  wrong  person,  or  praise  the  right 
person  for  the  wrong  thing.  We  must  find  our  reward  in  the 
work  itself:  something  each  day  accomplished  :  something 
done  :  some  kindly  word  spoken :  some  cup  of  water  offered 
to  the  suffering  :  some  noble  thought  cherished,  some  achieve- 
ment, which  the  world  ought  not  willingly  to  let  die,  shadowed 
forth,  thought  out,  conceived,  if  not  actually  brought  forth. 
Good  work,  earnest  work,  prayerful  work,  can  never  be  without 
a  blessing  to  the  Worker,  which  will  follow  him  after  Life's 
endless  toil  and  endeavour  to  his  rest,  and  what  greater  work 
than  the  saving:  of  a  Soul ! 


(    60    ) 

I  once  stood  at  the  mouth  of  the  great  Panjab  Salt-Mine  on 
the  River  Jhilam,  and  watched  the  long  procession  of  women, 
children,  and  men,  of  young  and  old,  slowly  advancing  towards 
me,  toiling  up  the  steep  incline,  each  with  head  bent,  and  back 
curved  under  the  burden  of  rock-salt,  which  they  brought  from 
the  bowels  to  the  surface  of  the  earth.  This  was  their  hard  and 
palpable  day's  labour.  To  the  strength  of  each  the  burden  was 
adjusted  :  the  young  daily  grew  into  capacity  to  bear  heavier, 
the  old  daily  felt  their  strength  less  equal  to  their  diminishing 
load,  but  all  rested  night  after  night  wearied  with  their  daily 
round,  and  all  each  morning  rose  to  the  consciousness  of  a  day's 
sweating  and  straining,  and  a  risk  of  accidents  and  disease,  and 
the  dark  River  to  be  crossed  at  last. 

Tears  started  in  my  eyes,  as  I  thought  of  the  sad  procession 
of  my  contemporaries,  whom  during  my  own  life  I  had  seen 
toiling  and  striving,  lifting  their  heavy  burdens,  or  sinking  by 
the  way  under  them.  I  thought  of  the  strong  and  enthusiastic, 
too  eager  for  the  strife,  who  fell  years  ago  :  the  patient  and 
uncomplaining,  who  toiled  on  till  within  the  last  few  years : 
the  yearly  diminishing  group  of  fellow-labourers  with  yearly- 
diminishing  force,  and  the  dark  unknown  future  before  me. 

But  there  is  no  prison  so  deep,  that  its  depths  are  not 
reached  by  some  ray  of  God's  interminable  day,  and,  as  I  looked 
into  the  faces  of  the  salt-bearers,  I  became  aware,  that  one 
ray  of  light  reached  to  the  lo\vest  slope  of  their  dungeon, 
and,  as  they  advanced  upwards,  it  ever  became  brighter  and 
brighter,  shining  hopefully  in  their  uplifted  eyes,  and  gladdening 
their  hearts  with  the  thought  of  Home,  and  Rest,  and  of  Labour, 
sanctified  for  the  sake  of  the  little  ones,  the  old  ones,  the  sick 
ones,  to  whose  comforts  their  earnings  ministered.  The  Hero- 
Missionary  places  the  Heathen,  to  whom  he  goes  as  Christ's 
Ambassador,  in  that  corner  of  his  heart,  where  other  men  place 
their  families. 

Nay  more.  God's  great  lessons  are  taught  in  his  works,  and 
in  his  creatures.  As  each  labourer  reached  the  outer  world,  and 
flung  down  his  burden,  his  eyes  insensibly  turned  up  with  a 
look  of  thankfulness,  and  acknowledgment,  to  the  kindly  light, 
which  had  led  him,  and  then  each  unconsciously  shrouded  his 
eyes  with  his  hands,  as  if  unable  to  bear  the  full  glow  of 
unutterable  gladness,  which  the  Grace  of  God  sends  to  testify 
to  the  sanctity  and  dignity  of  Labour,  however  humble  and 
contracted  the  sphere : 

Well  clone,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant  :  thou  hast  been  faithful  t^zv;-  a  few 
things.     Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord  ! 

Address  to  the  Undergraduates  of  Cambridge, 
in  Henry  Martjni's  Hall,  Januarj,  1888. 


(    6i     ) 


V. 


THE     FEMALE    EVANGELIST. 

The  kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  unto  leaven,  which  a  woman  took,  and  hid 
in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened. — Matt,  xiii,  33. 

And  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  vessels  with  their  lamps.— Matt.  xxv.  4. 

I  beseech  thee  also,  good  yokefellow,  help  these  women,  for  they  labou7-ed 
loith  7ne in  the  Gospel  ,  .  .  .  whosenamesarein  thebookdf  life. — Philip,  iv.  3. 

Half  the  population  of  India,  or  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  millions,  are  women.  There,  as  in  other  parts  of  the 
world,  the  women  are  most  easily  influenced  by  religious  con- 
victions, and  to  them  is  confided  the  control  of  the  tender  years 
of  the  male  population  ;  and,  though  women  in  India  do  not 
appear  in  public,  it  is  a  mistake  to  suppose,  that  within  the  walls 
of  their  home  their  influence  is  not  very  great,  for  good  or  for 
evil.  From  time  immemorial,  in  Northern  India,  women  have 
been  secluded  either  absolutely  within  brick  walls  or  debarred 
by  understood  etiquette  from  holding  conversation  with  the 
other  sex.  I  remember  an  old  Native  gentleman,  who  had 
travelled  much  in  India,  remarking,  that  it  would  be  better  to 
lose  one's  way  on  a  journey,  than  ask  it  of  a  woman,  as  it  might 
involve  the  traveller  in  trouble.  Nor  do  I  think,  that  it  is  either 
likely,  or  desirable,  that  for  some  generations  the  rule  should  be 
broken  :  it  might  lead  to  greater  evils.  Women  are  exceedingly 
troublesome  in  courts  of  Justice,  when  they  break  through  the 
barrier  of  custom,  and  appear  either  as  litigants  or  witnesses. 
Until  a  great  change  comes  over  the  structure  of  Indian  society 
in  Northern  India,  it  is  as  well,  that  in  railways,  and  in  churches, 
as  they  are  in  schools  and  hospitals,  the  sexes  should  be  separated, 
and  a  decent  reserve  maintained  by  men  in  alluding  even  to 
their  existence. 

Noble  efforts  have  been  made  during  the  last  quarter  of  a 
century  by  special  Societies  to  approach  the  women  in  cities  and 
towns,  where  they  are  absolutely  secluded.  The  Female  Medical 
Missionary  has  appeared,  to  the  delight  and  admiration  of  all. 
Female  Teachers,  and  that  blessed  combination  of  syllables, 
"  the  Bible  Woman,"  and  the  Scripture-Reader,  the  house-to- 


(     62     ) 

house  Visitor,  the  Composer  of  Tracts  and  Stories  specially 
for  the  use  of  women,  and  other  indirect  channels  of  female 
influence,  have  come  into  existence.  A  recognized  component 
part  of  a  fully-equipped  Mission  must  be  a  "Female  Evangelist." 

Can  Female  Evangelists,  gifted  with  power  of  utterance  and 
equipped  with  spiritual  knowledge,  be  found,  and,  if  found,  how 
can  they  be  employed  ?    Let  me  consider  these  points  separately. 

Now  no  one,  who  has  attended  religious  meetings  of  late,  can 
fail  to  be  aware,  that  a  new  power  has  come  into  existence,  and 
a  very  sweet  and  healthy  one.  St.  Paul  may  have  set  his  face 
against  women  speaking  in  churches,  and  usurping  the  functions 
of  an  ordained  minister;  but  this  scarcely  comprises  Prayer- 
meetings,  and  village-itinerations ;  and  the  teaching  of  the  Old 
Testament  is  against  such  restrictions,  as  two  most  noble  pas- 
sages in  the  Old  Testament  proceeded  from  the  lips  of  women, 
Deborah  and  Hannah ;  and  just  in  the  dawn  of  the  New 
Covenant  the  Holy  Spirit  spoke  through  the  mouth  of  a  woman, 
the  Mother  of  our  Lord,  in  strains  of  unsurpassed  beauty  and 
eloquence,  showing  unmistakably,  that  God  is  no  respecter  of 
sexes.  The  Revisers  of  the  Old  Testament  have  done  good 
service  in  communicating  to  the  public  the  right  interpretation 
of  Psalm  Ixviii,  1 1  : 

The  Lord  giveth  the  Word :  the  women,  that  publish  the  tidings,  are  a  great 
host. 

This  was  long  well  known  to  Hebrew  scholars,  though  the 
Revisers  of  i6i  i,  for  reasons  best  known  to  themselves,  entirely 
lost  sight  of  the  correct  interpretation.  However,  the  fact  is 
now  made  known  most  opportunely ;  but  it  presupposes  the 
existence  of  natural  gifts,  and  a  careful  instruction.  Female 
Evangelists  can  be  found,  natural  gifts  can  be  developed,  and 
suitable  instruction  can  be  conveyed ;  and,  further,  the  sooner 
this  measure  be  adopted,  the  better.  A  new  army  of  soldiers,  an 
auxiliary  force,  to  supplement  the  regular  forces,  is  summoned 
into  the  field. 

Then  comes  the  question,  How  can  they  be  employed  ?  I 
have  myself  lived  many  years  alone  in  the  villages  of  Upper 
India,  and  marked  the  habits  of  the  people.  To  the  British 
ruler,  in  the  midst  of  his  subject-people,  all  things  are  possible, 
if  he  evince  sympathy  and  love,  and  respect  for  their  customs, 
and  a  tolerance  for  their  religion.  He  may  do  pretty  well  what 
he  likes,  within  the  limits  of  honour  and  virtue,  if  he  does  it  in 
a  Christian  way ;  but  he  soon  finds  out,  that  the  people,  though 
they  know  him,  and  confide  in  him,  would  rather  that  he  did  not 
enter  their  homes,  or  talk  to  their  women,  old  or  young,  or  even 
allude  to  them  in  conversation.  It  is  contrary  to  the  etiquette 
of  the  country,  and  their  feelings  would  be  hurt,  if  he  did  so. 
The  bystanders  would  titter,  if  he  asked  a  friend  after  his  wife's 


(    63     ) 

health.  In  the  villages  there  is  no  absolute  seclusion ;  but  a 
decent  woman  would  veil  herself,  or  turn  her  face  to  the  wall, 
or  beat  a  retreat,  if,  in  the  road  or  street,  she  came  suddenly 
upon  men.  The  Missionary  must  feel  the  same  difficulty,  and 
perhaps  more  intensely,  as  he  is  not  bO  well  known,  and  is  not 
surrounded  with  the  prestige  of  authority.  The  Female  Evan- 
gelist will  find  her  work  in  the  villages  all  ready  for  her. 

The  attempt  has  already  been  made  with  wonderful  success  in 
Northern  India.  In  the  Monthly  Periodical  of  the  Church  of 
England  Zanana  Society  are  most  sweet  and  encouraging  letters. 
One  from  the  pen  of  Miss  Tucker  (A.L.  O.E.)  speaks  to  the 
heart,  as  she  expresses  her  own  feelings.  As  I  read  it,  the  same 
feeling  comes  over  me,  a  desire  to  be  young  again,  and  back 
again  among  my  own  people,  the  inhabitants  of  the  Panjab, 
among  whom  I  lived  so  many  years,  alone  and  happy,  in  spite 
of  war  and  tumult.  It  was  part  of  our  system,  that  the  District 
Officer  should  dwell  in  tents  amidst  his  people,  without  guards, 
ruling  by  moral  influence,  and  the  feeling  of  gratitude  for  benefits 
received.  I  can  conceive  no  happier  life,  when  in  the  employ- 
ment of  an  earthly  ruler:  how  much  more  so  when  in  the  service 
of  our  King !  Memory  goes  back  gladly  over  the  interval  of 
thirty  or  forty  years  to  the  white  tent  pitched  in  the  outskirts  of 
the  village  in  the  mango-grove,  where  I  have  passed  laborious 
hours,  devoted  in  sincerity  and  single-mindedness  to  the  benefit 
of  the  people,  who  crowded  round  their  alien,  and  yet  beloved, 
ruler.  I  recall  the  evening-walk  with  a  long  train  of  followers 
through  the  streets  and  the  gardens,  down  by  the  stream,  or  over 
the  heather.  I  hear  again  the  cry  of  the  peacock,  the  cooing  of 
the  doves,  and  the  barking  of  the  dogs.  I  see  again  the  slanting 
rays  of  the  sun,  shedding  glory  through  the  grove,  the  white 
figures  glancing  through  the  shade,  the  rows  of  elephants, 
horses,  and  camels.  Oh,  that  I  could  be  young  again,  and  go 
forth  to  be  an  Evangelist,  where  once  I  was  Ruler  and  Judge, 
and  earthly  providence,  to  contented  millions  1  I  can  at  least 
encourage  others  to  go. 

I  do  not  admit  for  a  moment,  that  the  villagers  of  Northern 
India,  scores  of  whom  I  have  known  and  loved,  are  in  a  state  of 
moral  darkness  beyond  that  of  European  nations,  who  know  not 
Christ.  If  this  were  the  case,  the  Courts  of  Law,  Civil  and 
Criminal,  would  have  disclosed  it.  I  have  decided  thousands  of 
cases,  and  not  discovered  it.  But  these  villagers  are  in  a  moral 
twilight,  and  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  has  not  risen  before  their 
eyes.  If  the  Holy  Spirit  speaks  to  their  consciences  (and  does 
it  not  speak  ?),  it  is  with  a  muffled  and  half-audible  voice.  Are 
they  to  blame  ?  No  Evangelist  or  Prophet  has  ever  come  to 
them  :  for  long  ages  they  have  been  left  outside  the  influences 
of  any  Soul-revival. 


(     64     ) 

To  the  village-women  the  appearance  of  a  Female  Evangelist 
must  be,  as  it  were  the  vision  of  an  Angel  from  Heaven  :  to  their 
untutored  eyes  she  appears  taller  in  stature,  fairer  in  face,  fairer 
in  speech,  than  anything  mortal  that  they  had  dreamt  of  before  : 
bold  and  fearless,  without  immodesty  :  pure  in  word  and  action, 
and  yet  with  features  unveiled  :  wise,  yet  condescending  to  talk 
to  the  ignorant  and  the  little  children  :  prudent,  and  self- 
constrained,  yet  still  a  woman,  loving  and  tender.  In  Hindu 
Annals  the  Poets  have  written  about  Sita  and  Damayanti,  and 
painted  them  with  the  colour  of  every  earthly  virtue,  showing 
that  they  knew  what  a  virtuous  woman  should  be ;  yet  such  as 
they  never  appeared  to  the  sight  of  poor  village-women,  even  in 
their  dreams,  until  suddenly  their  eyes,  their  ears,  and  their 
hearts,  seem  to  realize,  faintly  and  confusedly,  the  Beauty  of 
Holiness,  when  they  begin  to  hold  converse,  only  too  brief,  with 
their  sweet  and  loving  visitor,  who,  smitten  with  the  wondrous 
desire  to  save  souls,  has  come  across  the  Sea  from  some  unknown 
country  to  comfort  and  help  them.  Short  as  is  her  stay,  she  has, 
as  it  were  with  a  magic  wand,  let  loose  a  new  fountain  of  hopes, 
of  fears,  and  desires  :  she  has  told  them,  perhaps  in  faltering 
accents,  of  Righteousness  and  Judgment,  of  Sin,  Repentance, 
and  a  free  Pardon,  through  the  blessed  merits  of  a  Saviour. 
This  day  has  Salvation  come  to  this  Indian  Village  ! 

It  is  notorious  that  the  supply  of  male  agents,  both  spiritual 
and  secular,  falls  far  short  of  the  demand.  All  the  Missions  are 
below  the  normal  and  necessary  strength.  What  is  to  be  done  ? 
My  suggestion  is  : 

Make  a  fuller  use  of  women.  Call  upon  that  sex,  which  no  longer  deserves 
the  conventional  epithet  of  l/i£  'wcakei-,  or  less  wise,  to  supply  the  vacuum,  and 
stand  in  the  gap. 

But  they  must  have  precisely  the  same  allowances,  be  provided 
with  similar  accommodation,  and  placed  on  the  same  footing,  as 
the  male  Missionary.  The  Missionary's  wife  is  no  doubt  as 
much  a  Missionary  in  theory  and  practice  as  her  husband,  but 
her  hands  are  very  full  already.  The  proposal  to  employ  special 
medical  women,  and  special  educational  women,  and  special 
Bible-women,  has  been  accepted,  and  is  part  of  our  system. 
I  rejoice,  that  I  was  the  fortunate  suggester  at  the  Bible  House 
of  the  measure  with  regard  to  Bible-women.  It  has  been  found 
most  acceptable  everywhere.  In  some  Missions,  combinations 
have  been  made  by  the  Missionary  Societies  and  the  Bible 
Society,  under  which  a  class  of  Bible-selling  Evangelists,  both 
male  and  female,  is  coming  into  existence.  All  the  lines  seem 
to  be  converging  in  this  direction.  I  am  merely  formularizing, 
and  bringing  forward  in  a  general  and  popular  form  of  description 
with  the  tendencies  and  requirements  of  the  age,  as  well  as  the 
a  method,  which  is  already  in  i)ractice,  and  which  harmonizes 


(    65     ) 

aspiration  of  godly  women,  who  desire  to  take  tlieir  full  share 
in  the  work  of  their  Lord.  Hitherto  they  have  been  kept 
in  the  second  rank,  or  even  left  behind  in  the  tents  in  charge 
of  the  stuff.  The  order  has  gone  forth,  "  Up,  women,  and 
at  them  !  " 

For  a  great  part  of  my  life  I  have  been  in  authority,  with 
scores  of  male  agents,  European  and  Native,  under  my  orders, 
and  I  have  always  insisted  upon  ti^aining,  as  a  condition 
precedent.  An  untrained  servant,  however  honest,  well- 
intentioned,  and  willing,  is  of  comparatively  little  use.  A 
Women's  Board  of  Management  is  essential  to  the  selection, 
training,  and  control  of  female  agents.  Set  a  woman  to  manage 
women.  No  female  agent  should  be  entertained  without  the 
approval  of  that  Board.  We  have  a  Medical  Committee  for  our 
medical  requirements  ;  a  Clerical  Committee  for  selection  of 
Missionaries;  a  Financial  Committee  for  our  Finance.  The 
female  agent  is  a  speciality,  the  diagnosis  of  which  exceeds  the 
skill  of  the  surgeon,  the  clergyman,  or  the  financier.  The 
matter  is  too  high  for  the  Lay  Committee  without  professional 
advice.  The  second  step  is,  that  female  agents  must  be  trained 
at  some  establishment  specially  devoted  to  the  subject.  We 
spend  annual  thousands  in  our  Training  College  for  men,  and 
no  money  is  spent  to  a  better  purpose  :  let  us  not  grudge  what 
is  required  to  refine,  and  place  the  mint-mark  of  training  and 
instruction,  on  that  purity,  and  consecrated  talent,  and  that  life- 
devotion,  which  is  better  than  fine  gold.  I  am  more  and  more 
convinced,  that  the  spiritual  side  of  a  Missionary's  duty  depends 
as  much  upon  training  and  godly  instruction,  as  it  is  admitted 
on  all  hands  with  regard  to  the  medical  and  educational  side. 
I  look  with  misgiving  upon  the  haphazard  mode,  in  which  female 
agents  have  hitherto  been  supplied.  It  is  wonderful,  that  they 
have  been  as  good  and  efficient  as  they  undoubtedly  are.  The 
epoch  for  the  simple,  God-fearing,  Scripture-loving,  but  other- 
wise- uninstructed,  Missionary,  whether  man  or  woman,  is  past. 
Arms  of  precision  are  required  to  fight  the  Lord's  battles. 

The  disparity  of  the  number  of  the  sexes  in  this  country  is 
notorious.  In  every  town  there  is  a  sweet  superfluity  of  women, 
to  whom  a  vocation  is  not  marked  out,  or  sought  for  in  vain,  or 
at  least  not  found.  Endowed  with  talents,  education,  and 
spirituality,  they  stand,  as  it  were,  in  the  market-place  of  this 
great  world,  seeking  employment.  The  brothers  have  gone 
forth  in  their  prime  to  fight  the  Queen's  battles,  or  carry  on  the 
great  Life-war  in  the  ranks  of  their  contemporaries.  The  sisters 
remain  at  home.  The  simple  round,  the  common  task,  may  be 
sufficient,  where  there  is  a  round,  and  there  is  a  task.  But  many 
even  in  early  life  have  outlived  the  natural  ties,  which  held  them 
to  the  spot,  where  they  were  born,  and  they  stand  wistfully,  and 


(   ee   ) 

with  weary  spirit,  looking  out  into  the  dim  and  remote  future, 
with  the  inaudible  cry  of  the  heart: 

My  life,  what  shall  I  do  with  it?     Lord,  what  wilt  Thou  have  me  to  do? 

The  dove,  let  loose  from  the  Ark,  finds  no  place,  on  which  it  can 
rest  its  foot,  and  returns  in  despair. 

In  the  middle  ages,  or  in  Roman  Catholic  countries,  such 
flowers  would  be  left  to  bloom  away,  undesired  and  unprofitable, 
in  the  sealed  garden  of  the  Convent :  such  nobility  of  character, 
such  fervency  of  devotion,  such  capacity  for  God's  work,  would 
be  crushed  by  an  idle  ritual  of  Chapel-services,  or  be  allowed  to 
burn  itself  out  as  foolishly,  as  vainly,  as  the  waxen  tapers  on  the 
Altar.  In  Protestant  Countries  there  is  an  opening  for  better 
things.  The  tending  of  the  sick  bed  in  the  Hospital,  the  soul- 
introspection  during  the  midnight  watch  betwixt  the  dead  and 
the  dying,  is  a  better  chastisement  of  the  proud  and  egotistic 
spirit  than  the  self-inflicted  lash  of  the  Abbess  and  the  Nun. 
The  conveying  of  the  Gospel-blessings  from  village  to  village  in 
India  is  more  pleasing  and  profitable  than  the  cold,  cheerless 
chaunt  of  the  midnight  Mass,  where  Sanctity  is  only  to  be 
purchased  by  Idleness. 

Some  may  fall,  and  some  have  fallen,  by  the  Roadside,  as  they 
enter  the  Vineyard,  or  before  even  they  have  stretched  out  their 
hand  to  the  tending  the  Vines.  The  Lord  considers  the  will, 
not  the  deed,  and,  if  the  Soul's  desire  is  to  serve  the  IMaster, 
what  matter  whether  He  recalls  the  servant  in  the  morn,  or  at 
noon,  or  at  sunset,  or  whether  He  prefers  the  servant  to  the  work, 
which  that  servant  proposed  to  do  ?  And,  if  the  summons 
comes  in  a  far  country,  what  matter  whence  the  enfranchised 
soul  takes  its  flight  ?  Some  may  die  in  the  carefully  guarded 
home  of  their  earthly  parents  :  some  in  the  solitary  rest-house  in 
India  :  some  in  the  round  straw  hut  in  Africa.  This  is  but  the 
mode  of  transition.  The  object  and  end  of  the  Life's  labour, 
and  journey,  is  the  same. 

Church  Misswnary  Socieiys  InteUigeyicer,  1885 
(with  additions,  1888). 


(    67    ) 


VI. 
THE  CHRISTIAN  NATIVE  CHURCH  IN  INDIA. 

Chance  led  my  steps  one  Sunday  evening  to  the  door  of  a 
Native  Christian  Church,  belonging  to  one  of  our  Missions 
in  one  of  the  largest  towns  in  India.  The  bells  were  chiming 
from  the  tower,  that  sweetest  of  sounds  :  the  hands  of  the  clock 
pointed  to  the  hour  of  five,  and  the  congregation  was  flocking 
in  at  the  door,  men,  women,  and  children.  There  was  some- 
thing soothing  in  the  sight :  a  dream  of  the  past  came  over  me, 
of  the  absent  and  of  home,  associated  with  feelings  of  religion 
and  purity,  and,  joining  the  simple  crowd  with  uncovered  head 
and  reverential  feelings  I  entered. 

It  has  been  mine  to  sit  in  the  Churches,  and  join  in  the 
worship,  of  many  branches  of  the  great  family  of  Christians,  in 
far  and  distant  countries,  in  divers  and  sundry  languages,  in 
the  cold  and  formal  worship  of  Northern,  in  the  ardent  and 
demonstrative  adoration  of  Southern  Europe,  in  the  evangelical 
devotions  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  England,  in  the  dark  and 
unsightly  oratories  of  poor  degraded  Syria ;  but,  though  some 
years  a  resident  in  India,  this  was  the  first  time,  that  I  had 
joined  in  the  prayers  of  the  chosen  few  of  those  millions,  whose 
destinies  we  govern. 

The  building  was  handsome  and  appropriate.  Art  had  lent 
its  assistance  to  the  decoration  of  the  House  of  God,  but  with 
simplicity :  there  was  that,  which  was  sufficiently  distinctive 
from  the  ornaments  of  ordinary  houses,  to  recall  wandering 
thoughts  to  a  recollection  of  the  place:  but  there  was  nothing 
calculated  to  transform  the  House  into  a  Temple,  or  to  lead 
weak  minds  to  suppose,  that  the  dead  walls  constituted  Christ's 
Church,  and  not  the  living  persons  of  the  congregation.  Here 
at  least  no  pride  or  pomp  of  circumstance  disfigured  the  equality 
of  the  worshippers  ;    no  shining  emblems  of  ephemeral  station 


(     68     ) 

dishonoured  the  assembly ;  the  floor  sounded  to  no  clank  of 
martial  tread ;  the  sun,  as  it  streamed  through  the  windows, 
lighted  on  no  dazzling  insignia  or  scarlet  trappings  :  in  this 
assemblage,  he,  that  was  the  least,  was  even  as  the  greatest. 

I  looked  down  the  nave  with  interest  and  heart-felt  pleasure. 
According  to  the  custom  of  Oriental  Churches,  the  sexes  were 
divided.  On  the  one  side  the  men  and  boys  of  the  congre- 
gation :  on  the  other  the  matrons,  young  women  and  children. 
Nearly  all  were  clothed  in  white  ;  the  men  were  bareheaded  as 
well  as  barefooted,  the  reason  for  which  I  did  not  understand, 
such  not  being  the  practice  of  Oriental  Churches  elsewhere, 
and  manifestly  inconvenient,  and  as  such  to  be  avoided.  The 
women  had  their  heads  decently  covered  in  the  folds  of  their 
scarves.  I  saw  many  sweet  expressive  countenances,  not  fearing 
in  the  simple  confidence  of  female  virtue,  to  look  in  the  faces  of 
their  husbands,  their  parents,  and  their  acquaintances,  proud 
of  the  conceded  privilege  of  equality  with  their  helpmates,  with 
hopes  for  the  future  dependent  on  their  own  exertions  :  shrinking 
from  no  recollections  of  a  past,  stained  by  corruption  and 
degradation.  Christianity,  if  thou  hast  done  this  alone,  re- 
storing the  modest  blush  of  innocence  to  conscious  and  fearless 
virtue,  thou  art  the  Benefactor  of  our  race  ! 

But  the  service  has  commenced  ;  a  kind  hand  supplies  me 
with  the  Book  of  Life,  and  the  Book  of  Prayer;  and  that 
language,  which  had  hitherto  been  familiar  to  me  only  as  an 
expression  of  the  evil  passions  of  the  governed,  and  the  hard 
Laws  of  the  Ruler,  was  now  for  the  first  time  the  vehicle  to  my 
ears  of  praise  and  prayer.  Dissociated  from  their  familiar  words, 
which  are  merely  the  outward  tenements  of  the  inward  spirit, 
the  moving  Admonition  of  the  Minister,  the  humble  Confession 
of  the  People,  the  Absolution,  complete,  but  conditional,  came 
back  to  my  senses,  as  an  old  strain  of  familiar  music,  long  heard, 
and  often  from  the  loved  and  revered  lips  of  my  Father ;  now 
first  fully  felt,  when  ringing  from  the  chords  of  a  new  and 
hitherto  untried  instrument.  Many  are  the  languages  of  men, 
one  the  language  of  God.  How  is  it,  that  the  voices  of  the 
children,  responding  in  their  deep  and  ringing  chorus  (though 
the  words  are  in  a  strange  tongue),  bring  back  so  truly,  so 
vividly,  forgotten  Sabbaths  and  distant  Churches  ?  Is  it  that 
there  is  but  one  sound  for  prayer  and  praise,  that  human  penitence 
can  be  expressed  but  in  one  tone  ?  Is  it  thus,  that  the  loud 
Hosannahs  of  the  denizens  of  the  earth  will  be  collected  in  one 
joyful  chorus  at  the  day  of  the  Second  Coming  ?  Is  this  the 
cry  of  the  Cherubim  and  Seraphim  ?  1  was  struck  and  delighted 
by  the  devout  and  attentive  behaviour  of  the  congregation : 
when  two  or  three  are  thus  joined  together.  He  will  surely  be 
in  the  midst  of  them. 


(     69     ) 

The  Psalms  and  First  Lesson  were  omitted,  that  the  Service 
might  not  be  too  long,  and  at  the  close  of  the  Second  Lesson 
followed  the  Sacrament  of  Infant-Baptism  ;  and  now  I  became 
aware  of  another  feature  of  order  in  this  well-arranged  con- 
gregation, which  from  the  position  uf  my  seat  had  hitherto 
escaped  my  observation.  In  front  of  the  Font,  but  with  their  backs 
turned  towards  it,  and  concealed  from  the  rest  of  the  Church, 
sat  with  solemn,  thoughtful  and  reverent  faces  those,  in  whom  the 
Spirit  of  God  was  working  for  their  Salvation  :  they  were  in  but 
not  of  our  body,  they  were  candidates,  awaiting  Baptism,  when 
they  had  passed  their  ordeal,  and  by  their  consistent  conduct 
in  the  past  had  given  earnest  for  the  future :  seated  they  were 
in  front  of  the  Font,  the  waters  of  which  were  to  them  for  a 
season  denied,  while  they  beheld  the  new-born  babe,  unconscious 
of  all  taint,  even  that  of  hereditary  sin,  admitted  before  their 
eyes  into  the  Covenant,  which  they  were  commencing  to  appre- 
ciate. Never  till  then  had  I  fully  recognized,  or  been  sufficiently 
thankful  for,  the  blessing  of  being  born  of  a  Christian  stock, 
with  no  fiery  ordeal  to  go  through  ;  no  parents,  friends  and  all, 
to  desert  for  His  sake;  no  sad,  mournful,  but  beloved  and 
regretted  associations  of  the  past  to  look  lingeringly  back  upon  ; 
no  doubtful,  scorned  and  opprobrious  future  to  anticipate.  I 
felt,  that  they  had  something  to  wish  for,  which  I  had  already  in 
possession  ;  something,  for  which  they  paid  a  great  price,  but 
which  to  me  was  a  birthright,  not  the  right  of  being  a  Briton, 
but  the  privilege  of  being  born  a  Christian.  But  great  will  be 
their  reward.  Christian  children  of  Christian  parents  !  feel  for 
them,  and  do  not  in  your  pride  despise  the  weak  and  failing 
brother ! 

Two  infants  were  presented  to  be  baptized ;  their  swarthy 
little  faces  peeping  out  of  their  white  garments,  and  contrasting 
strangely  with  the  fair  hand  and  face  of  the  Minister.  Here  the 
white  man  appeared  in  his  true  and  proper  dignity !  not  the  ex- 
terminator, the  stranger,  the  ruler  by  a  strong  arm,  the  enforcer 
by  arbitrary  laws,  the  one  that  is  bowed  down  to,  and  yet  shunned 
in  the  streets;  that  is  openly  courted,  yet  secretly  scoffed  at  and 
despised  as  unclean :  here  I  saw  the  race  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
bestowing  on  their  subject-people  a  greater  skill,  than  the  science 
of  arms,  a  greater  miracle,  than  the  triumph  of  manufactures. 
We  are  a  mighty,  strong,  and  wise  people :  we  have  conquered 
countries  unknown  to  the  Romans  ;  we  have  measured  the  paths 
of  the  Heavens  with  a  far-distending  radius  denied  to  the  Greeks  : 
the  achievements  of  our  present  surpass  the  wonders  of  their  past ; 
but  here  we  spontaneously  convey  to  our  subjects  that  treasure, 
of  which  they  knew  not,  but  which  in  the  midst  of  our  wealth  we 
value  the  most :  that  strength,  to  which  they  never  arrived,  but 
which  in  the  midst  of  our  pride  is  our  greatest  glory,  the  shame 


(    70    ) 

of  the  Cross,  and  the  sure  Promise  of  Salvation.  Who  is  the 
lowest  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  amidst  the  congregation  ?  Upon 
whom  have  the  doubtful  gifts  of  fortune  fallen  with  abundance  ? 
The  Minister  takes  the  child  of  either  in  his  arms,  and  signs  him 
with  that  sign,  of  which  he  ought  never  to'  be  ashamed. 

The  sponsors  knelt  reverently  round,  and  made  their  answers 
with  feeling.  I  looked  into  the  features  of  these  men,  to  see  if 
any  hidden  sign  would  betray  a  difference  between  him,  and  his 
heathen  brother,  any  flash  of  intelligence  sparkle  from  the  eye 
of  the  mind  which  had  comprehended  such  truths.  There  was 
none.  He,  that  readeth  the  heart,  will  judge  what  it  is  forbidden 
for  man  to  know. 

Then  followed  the  three  Collects,  the  Prayer  for  the  Queen, 
the  Royal  Family,  the  Clergy,  Parliament,  and  all  conditions  of 
Men,  and  I  wondered,  as  I  saw  the  lips  of  the  women  and  girls 
articulating  the  words  Victoria  and  Albert,  what  idea  they  con- 
nected with  the  same,  what  strange  pictures  they  had  drawn  in 
their  simple  minds  of  the  Royal  Couple,  and  the  Royal  Children. 
I  could  almost  have  wished,  that  the  prayers  of  native  congrega- 
tions were  reserved  simply  for  those  in  authority  over  them. 

After  the  Prayers  followed  a  Hymn,  sung  by  the  congregation 
to  the  accompaniment  of  a  Harmonium :  the  chaunt  from  the 
Hindustani  Hymn-book  possessed  apparently  but  slight  poetical 
merit,  but  \vas  well  suited  to  the  place,  and  well  sung,  showing, 
that  the  Natives  of  the  country  have  a  full  appreciation  of  the 
system  of  European  music.  But,  while  the  Hosannah  was  swell- 
ing up  to  the  roof-beams  from  these  untutored  lips,  I  beheld 
through  the  windows,  which  opened  to  the  ground,  the  cortege 
of  a  wealthy  Raja  sweeping  by  under  the  walls  of  the  Church. 
I  heard  the  rattle  of  his  equipage,  as  every  screw  and  bolt  gave 
a  music  of  its  own.  I  could  see  from  my  place  in  the  Church, 
the  ignorant  profligate,  this  bloated  abomination  of  a  man,  con- 
temptuously smiling,  as  the  voices  of  the  congregation  reached 
him.  I  saw  the  low  truckling  flatterer  leaning  over  from  the  back 
seat,  and  with  finger  pointing  to  the  building,  and  chuckling 
laugh,  telling  what  I  knew  to  be  some  false  scandal,  his  version 
of  what  was  going  on  in  the  interior.  I  saw  the  whole  at  a 
glance,  and  comprehended  it;  but  busy  memory,  roused  by  the 
incident,  bore  me  back  many  a  century  to  the  "  upper  chamber 
of  Troas,"  and  to  "the  school  of  Tyrannus."  I  thought  of 
the  early  Christians  at  Athens,  at  Corinth,  at  Ephesus,  and  at 
Rome :  thus  and  thus,  as  this  debased  Raja  now,  did  the  noble 
Roman,  the  philosophic  Greek,  great  in  the  power  of  science  and 
arms,  once  ride  by,  lolling  in  their  chariot,  perhaps  talking  flippantly 
of,  perhaps  discussing  seriously,  the  manners  and  customs  of  this 
new  sect,  these  worshippers  in  the  Catacombs.  With  them  was 
the  flatterer,  and  busy  mocker,  the  sarcastic  stoic,  the  lively 


(    71     ) 

atheist,  the  sycophantic  eunuch,  ready  to  tell  ridiculous  stories 
for  these  good  easy  men  to  believe.  I  thought  of  these  things, 
and  God  forgive  me,  if  /triumphed,  when  I  dwelt  on  the  triumphs 
of  God's  Revelations,  and  anticipated  iinv  victories.  I  have  seen 
standing  erect  the  sign  of  the  Cross  in  the  place,  where  the  early 
Christians  fought  after  the  manner  of  men  in  the  Roman  Amphi- 
theatre. I  have  stood  on  the  Areopagus  to  contemplate  the  ruins 
of  the  Parthenon,  wondering  how  it  looked,  when  St.  Paul  spoke 
of  Christ  and  the  Resurrection :  my  voice  has  rung  along  the 
shores  of  Ionia: 

Demetrius,  surely  thy  craft  is  in  danger  :  where  is  thy  Great  Diana  of  the 
Ephesians  ? 

No  sound  is  heard  in  reply  but  the  splashing  of  the  waves  of  the 
Ocean,  Returning  from  the  past,  in  the  full  confidence  of  Faith, 
I  pondered  on  what  would  be  the  fate  of  the  great  Anti-Christ 
city  around  me.  Will  not  a  day  arrive,  when  the  gilded  pinnacle 
of  that  Hindu  Temple  shining  in  the  sun  will  be  torn  down, 
when  the  tapering  minarets  of  that  Mahometan  Mosque  will  be 
laid  low  ?  Will  it  not  be  more  tolerable  for  Sodom  and  Gomorrha 
in  the  day  of  Judgment,  than  for  this  city,  in  which  the  Word  of 
God  is  daily  preached  in  the  streets,  in  whose  ears  the  bells  of 
this  Church  are  ringing  weekly  warnings  for  repentance  ?  Will 
not  the  men  of  Nineveh  rise  up  in  judgment  against  them  ? 

But  the  Hymn  has  been  finished,  and  the  Sermon  commenced: 
no  new-fangled  theories,  no  polemical  discussions,  no  meta- 
physical distinctions,  no  suggestion  of  Ritual  observances,  fell 
from  the  lips  of  the  Reverend  Pastor,  who  himself  was  one  of 
the  Natives  of  India  predestined  to  Salvation.  I  heard  a  father 
addressing  his  own  children,  expounding  simple  Scripture  narra- 
tive with  simpler  applications.  I  turned  back,  and  noticed  the 
mouth  opened  in  interest,  the  neck  outstretched  to  catch  each 
word.    I  saw  children  hanging  on  the  familiar  notes  of  the  father. 

We  are  told  how  Noah  in  obedience  to  divine  authority  built  the  Ark,  how 
he  and  his  family  entered  into  it,  and  closed  the  door  ;  how  tlie  wicked  scoffed 
and  jeered  at  him  :  how  at  length  the  rain  did  descend,  the  fountains  of  the  deep 
were  opened,  the  wicked  utterly  destroyed,  but  those  few  in  the  Ark  were 
saved.  This  Church,  my  brethren,  is  tlie  Ark  ;  over  this  city  of  unbehevers  is 
impending  the  Deluge  :  hasten  ye  in. 

The  page  of  Scripture  further  on  supplies  new  motives,  and  fresh 
consolations  : 

We  hear  how  Abraham,  trusting  in  God,  nothing  doubting,  left  his  country 
and  kindred,  things  the  nearest  and  dearest,  to  go  he  knew  not  whither  :  yet 
his  Faith  was  rewarded.  And  ye,  my  brethren,  who  have  sacrificed  the  ties  of 
home  for  His  sake,  if  ye  endure  to  the  end,  will  ye  not  have  your  reward  also  ?  " 

No  wide  gulf  separates  the  Preacher  from  his  hearers  :  if  he 
propounds  a  subject  interrogatively,  the  answer  appears  to 
burst  from  the  lips  of  an  eager  listener,  and  receives  no  check. 


(      72       ) 

I  feel,  that  one  and  all  have  derived  instruction  from  such 
expositions,  and  comfort  from  such  counsels.  Sincerely  I 
pray,  that  the  words  may  rest  grafted  in  our  hearts,  the  peace  of 
God  on  the  congregation,  as  they  meekly  and  reverently  disperse 
to  their  homes. 

And  who  are  the  good,  the  great,  men,  who  have  wrought 
this  wondrous  work  ?  Whose  hands  have  offered  this  incense 
of  sweet  savour  to  the  Most  High  ?  Who  are  those,  who  have 
taken  this  new  Jerusalem  from  the  Jebusites,  and  planted  this 
new  Canaan  in  the  land  of  the  Heathen  ?  Who  have  kept 
together  these  ten  righteous,  if  peradventure  for  their  sake  the 
sinful  city  may  be  spared  ?  There  sit  they,  the  shepherds 
among  their  flock,  the  Christian  warriors  reposing  with  their 
armour  off  after  the  combat.  By  their  sides  are  their  good 
yoke-fellows,  their  wives,  their  fellow-labourers,  who  have 
shared  in  the  toil,  and  the  victory.  On  their  breasts  are  no 
proud  insignia  of  battles,  that  they  have  fought,  of  victories, 
that  they  have  won  :  but  with  a  good  fight  they  have  carried 
the  entrenchments  of  Sin  and  Satan,  and  have  the  one  Cross 
engraved  on  their  hearts.  They  have  not  sat  on  earthly  judg- 
ment-seats, they  have  not  collected  the  tribute  of  nations,  but 
they  will  hereafter  sit  upon  thrones  judging  the  heathen,  they 
will  hereafter  offer,  as  the  fruit  of  their  life-labour,  a  full  harvest 
of  redeemed  souls.  They  have  no  precedence  given  them  in 
mortal  assemblies,  but  they  will  be  reckoned  among  the  Angels 
of  Heaven.  They  have  not  controlled  in  the  Courts  of  Human 
Justice  the  stormy  struggles  of  man's  bad  heart ;  but  with  the 
Gospel  as  their  rule,  they  have  guided  the  economy  of  the  soul. 

I  never  see  a  IMissionary,  but  I  blame  my  fate,  that  I  am  not 
of  them.  Are  they  not  to  be  envied,  whose  duties  in  this  woi-ld 
harmonize  with  those  of  the  next ;  zeal  in  their  earthly  vocations 
promoting,  not,  as  with  us,  retarding,  the  work  of  their  own 
salvation  ?  They  stand  among  the  Heathen,  as  an  ensign  of 
what  each  of  us  values  most :  the  General  represents  our 
victorious  arms,  the  Governor  our  triumphs  of  administration, 
but  the  Missionary  displays  our  virtues,  our  patience,  our 
Christian  charity,  and  shall  we  not  be  proud  of  him  ?  I  asked 
myself  how  is  it  that  so  few  of  Great  Britain's  learned  and  pious 
sons  select  this  profession.  The  vision  of  one  man  from  Mace- 
donia took  St.  Paul  across  the  Hellespont,  and  will  no  one 
cross  the  Indian  Ocean  for  the  millions,  not  in  vision,  but  in 
reality  ?  Will  no  young  Augustine  spring  up  to  repay  the  debt 
of  the  Occident  to  the  Orient,  to  bring  back  the  Sun  to  the 
East  ?  Had  I  life  to  begin  again,  this  would  be  my  choice :  the 
glories  and  profits  of  other  professions  are  but  as  vanity.  We 
have  fought  battles  :  they  are  scarcely  known  beyond  the  narrow 
limit  of  the  echo  of  the  cannon.  We  have  ruled  over  Provinces  : 


(     73     ) 

our  fame  is  as  soon  forgotten,  as  we  are  gone.  But  should  we 
have  saved  souls,  a  long  line  of  Christians  will  carry  back  the 
legends  of  their  family  to  our  era,  and  entwine  our  names  with 
the  golden  thread  of  grateful  thanksgiving !  Who  remembers 
the  Generals,  the  Proconsuls,  of  the  time  of  the  Caesars  ?  Who 
remembers  not  the  Apostles  ? 

Thence  glanced  my  thoughts  to  the  early  converts,  those,  who 
had  borne  the  heat  of  the  day,  on  whose  foreheads  I  could  trace 
the  lines  of  sorrow  and  early  affliction  (for  the  chain  of  the  world 
is  still  dear  to  us),  softened,  yet  not  effaced,  by  the  sweet  smile  of 
Faith  and  resignation.  Perhaps  in  the  records  of  this  Church 
will  be  handed  down,  as  household-words,  the  names  of  these 
early  saints,  who,  when  Christianity  was  young,  forsook  all 
things  for  His  sake.  When  far  and  wide  over  this  beautiful, 
and  to  me  beloved,  Indian  land,  in  village  and  in  town  floats  the 
ensign  of  the  Cross  amidst  a  Christian  people,  then  on  many  a 
Sabbath-evening,  when  young  and  old  are  gathered  together 
for  reading  and  meditation,  will  their  tale  be  told :  old  men  will 
point  to  ruined  temples,  and  tell  to  wondering  ears,  how  once 
Idolatry  existed  in  this  land :  soft,  tender,  womanly  cheeks  will 
be  stained  with  tears  at  the  suff"erings  of  these  St.  Stephens  : 
young,  manly  hearts  will  grow  in  sympathy  with  the  intrepid 
bravery  of  the  Indian  St.  Pauls. 

We  are  standing  on  the  threshold  of  mighty  events :  perhaps 
there  may  be  some  amongst  us,  who  will  tarry  till  He  comes.  In 
the  early  Christian  Church  we  can  trace  three  stages ;  the  first, 
when  a  few  obscure  men  professed  an  unknown  and  unap- 
preciated Faith,  persecuted  by  fanaticism,  and  crushed  by 
ignorance.  Miracles  had  long  since  ceased  ;  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  no  longer  visibly  descended,  but  the  second  stage 
was  soon  arrived  at;  thriving  congregations  began  to  erect  their 
heads  amidst  their  neighbours,  and  maintain  their  rights,  with 
the  tacit  allowance,  if  not  the  sanction,  of  the  Government. 
Within  three  hundred  years  the  Temple  was  hurled  down,  and 
the  Cross  erected  in  the  Market-place. 

A  few  months  ago  (1852)  it  was  my  fortunate  lot  to  join  in 
the  Protestant  worship  of  a  few  sincere  and  sturdy  Christians  in 
an  upper  room  at  Nazareth  :  no  preaching  was  allowed  in  the 
streets,  no  edifices  were  then  dedicated  to  worship;  all  was  fear, 
trembling,  and  the  possibility  of  oppression  and  outrage,  but  for 
the  protection  afforded  by  the  British  Consul ;  here  we  have  the 
first  stage  before  our  eyes.  In  the  Church  in  which  I  now  stand, 
I  recognize  the  features  of  the  second  stage  :  the  well-ordered 
congregation,  the  voice  of  the  Preacher  in  the  highways  calling 
loudly  to  repentance,  the  modest  tower  rising  up  in  the  outskirts 
of  the  city,  the  bell  calling  cheerily  to  prayers,  and  this  under 
the  sceptre  of  Great  Britain   in    her  Colonies.     Thrice  happy 


(    74    ) 

Britain  !  the  extent  of  your  conquests  will  be  forgotten,  for  those 
of  Gengis  and  Timur  have  perished:  but  your  Missions  will 
never  be  forgotten,  for  they  will  have  given  religion  to  thousands, 
and  the  time  will  surely  come,  when  the  great  idol  of  Banaras 
will  be  thrown  down. 

Who  would  not  then  be  a  Missionary,  the  Great  King's 
Messenger,  whose  treasure  is  laid  up  in  Heaven  ?  Those,  who 
cannot  attain  this  high  office,  must  give  of  their  wealth,  must  give 
of  their  pittance,  must  pray  for  them,  as  I  did,  as  I  followed  the 
last  of  the  congregation  out  of  the  door,  thinking,  how  sad  would 
be  the  day,  when,  like  Alexander,  we  shall  have  no  more 
countries  to  conquer  and  convert :  how  happy  for  us  to  see 
so  rich  a  harvest  gladdening  the  heart  of  the  Labourer  in  the 
Vineyard  ! 

Banaras  Magazine,  August,  1852. 

Thirty-six  years  have  passed,  and  the  work  has  prospered 
beyond  human  expectations.  How  grateful  I  am  that  I  wrote 
this  in  my  youth  and  my  strength  ! 

August,  1888. 


(     75    ) 


VII. 

A  CHRISTIAN  SOLDIER. 

Eighteen  years  after  his  death  the  Memorials  of  this  good,  and 
regretted,  man  have  appeared.  There  is  much  in  these  two 
volumes,  which  we  could  have  wished  to  have  expunged.  Special 
pleading  was  not  necessary  to  bring  out  his  great  merits,  and  we 
have  not  far  to  dig  for  the  fine  gold  of  his  character.  He  had  a 
sweet  individuality  all  his  own  ;  he  had  peculiar  gifts,  in  which 
he  far  outshone  all  his  compeers  ;  by  a  measurable  distance 
in  other  particulars  he  fell  below  many  of  them.  I  knew  him 
in  18-1.5,  when  he  was  with  his  regiment  as  a  subaltern,  before 
he  stepped  out  on  his  grand  career.  1  was  with  him,  the  same 
year,  in  the  great  battles  of  Mudki  and  Sobraon.  I  was  often, 
in  subsequent  years,  in  touch  with  him,  always  within  hearing 
of  his  achievements.  United  in  our  desire  to  extend  our 
Master's  kingdom,  we  stood  on  the  same  Mission-Conference- 
platform  in  i860  at  Lahore,  and  on  the  eve  of  his  last  departure 
from  India  in  1865,  we  met  for  the  last  time  in  Calcutta  under 
the  roof  of  our  common  friend  and  master,  John  Lord  Lawrence. 
Once  only  we  came  into  collision.  Edwardes,  in  his  hatred  to 
what  was  wrong,  once  unduly  attacked  the  memory  of  his  dead 
predecessor  in  office.  I  made  an  indignant  protest,  and  the 
attack  being  withdrawn,  the  controversy  ended  with  a  sentence 
to  the  following  effect : 

If  it  be  my  destiny  to  outlive  Sir  Herbert  Edwardes,  I  will  be  as  bold  in 
praising  his  great  merits  as  I  am  now  in  shielding  the  failings  of  his  predecessor. 

After  a  lapse  of  a  quarter  of  a  century,  that  opportunity  has 
arrived. 

Gay  and  gallant,  witty  and  wise,  generous  and  gracious,  ready 
and  resolute,  eloquent  and  energetic,  the  doer  of  acts  worth 
recording,  the  writer  of  pages  worth  reading,  a  faithful  friend, 
a  faithful  servant  of  the  State,  a  still  more  faithful  servant,  and 
stout-hearted  witness,  of  his  heavenly  Master :  such  he  was  from 


(    7^    ) 

his  youth  to  his  grave.  Many,  who  knew  him,  bless  him  for 
his  good  and  fearless  example.  He  died  at  the  age  of  forty- 
nine,  which  seems  a  short  life  to  those,  who  have  long  passed 
that  span.  He  served  the  State  in  the  Civil  Department  from 
March,  1846,  to  January,  1865,  barely  nineteen  years,  and  of 
that  period  two  years  were  spent  in  England.  No  true  life  is 
long.  These  few  years  were  sufficient  to  fill  the  trump  of  fame, 
and  give  him  a  lasting  claim  on  the  admiration  of  his  country- 
men now  and  in  the  future. 

Forty  years  have  elapsed  since  February  10,  1846,  the  great 
battle  of  Sobraon,  which  was  the  starting-point  of  the  history  of 
the  Panjab,  and  of  Herbert  Edwardes,  and  of  myself.  Twenty- 
nine  years  have  passed  since  May  10,  1857,  the  date  of  the 
INIutiny  of  the  Mi'rat  Garrison  ;  of  those,  who  shared  in  the  last- 
named  struggle,  there  are  many;  of  those,  who  were  present  at 
the  former,  there  are  few.  Since  then  there  has  been  a  long 
procession  of  heroes  and  statesmen  traversing  the  plains  of 
Northern  India.  Amidst  that  great  assembly,  to  me,  who  knew 
and  held  converse  with  them  all,  no  character  appears  more 
chivalrous,  more  unique,  more  satisfying,  than  that  of  the  preiix 
chevalier,  who  loved  the  Lord,  and  loved  his  fellow-creatures ; 
who,  to  use  his  own  words,  took  heed  each  day  to  place  a  stone 
in  the  basket  of  human  life,  with  a  face  upturned  in  faith  to 
Heaven,  and  the  air  of  one,  who  builds  for  eternity.  What  made 
the  Province,  in  which  he  served,  the  model  of  India  ?  Because 
its  rulers  started  upon  a  new  platform  with  four  great  principles  : 
I.  An  intense  love  for  the  people.  2.  A  proud  disdain  of  all 
that  is  wanton,  sordid,  and  immoral.  3.  An  outspokenness 
even  to  a  fault,  and  a  freedom  from  red-tape  officialism  even  to 
a  blemish.  4.  And,  chiefly,  a  humble  confidence  in  the  leading 
of  God's  Providence,  whom  every  official,  from  the  highest  to 
the  lowest,  was  not  ashamed  to  acknowledge  and  to  worship, 
while  he  deemed  it  his  duty  to  extend  the  knowledge  of  the 
saving  Truth  to  the  Heathen  and  the  Mahometan.  The  two 
types  of  that  school  were  Sir  Herbert  Edwardes,  and  John  Lord 
Lawrence :  there  was  a  diversity  of  their  gifts,  but  the  same 
spirit :  all  that  they  did  they  did  to  the  glory  of  God. 

Them  that  honour  Me,  I  will  honour  ! 

Edwardes  commenced  his  civil  career,  as  assistant  to  Sir  Henry 
Lawrence,  the  Resident  at  Lahore,  in  1846.  Twice  he  was 
deputed  to  the  District  of  Bannu  to  settle  the  affairs  of  a  wild 
country,  and  he  accomplished  the  task  with  wonderful  success, 
and  on  April  22,  1848,  he  received  news  from  Multan  of  the 
rebellion  of  Diwan  Mulraj,  and  the  slaughter  of  the  English 
officers.  Another  man  might  have  hesitated,  but  he  at  once 
with  his  native  levies  marched  to  the  spot,   and  without  any 


An) 

resources,  but  those  supplied  by  his  own  genius  and  pluck,  he 
fought  battles,  gained  victories,  and  besieged  Mulraj  in  his  own 
city,  and  held  his  own  till  many  months  afterwards  a  regular 
force  arrived  from  Lahore,  and  after  long  delays  stormed  and 
took  the  fortress.  This  was  but  one  incident  in  the  second  war  of 
the  Panjab,  which  ended  in  the  annexation  of  the  whole  Province. 
On  his  return  from  England  in  1851,  Edwardes  became  District- 
Officer  of  Jalandhar,  whence  he  was  transferred  to  Hazara  on  the 
frontier,  and  soon  after  he  was  prorrtoted  to  the  post  of  Com- 
missioner of  Peshawar.  Here  he  ruled  the  tribes  with  a  strong 
hand,  negociated  an  important  treaty  with  Dost  Mahomet,  the 
Amir  of  Kabul,  and,  when  the  mutiny  of  the  Sepoy-army 
convulsed  Northern  India,  he  so  conducted  the  affairs  of  the 
frontier,  maintained  so  firm  a  front,  stirred  up  such  a  spirit 
among  the  natives,  acted  so  entirely  in  harmony  with  the  military 
authorities,  that  he  was  able  to  hold  his  own  and  despatch  newly 
raised  regiments  to  the  siege  of  Delhi.  His  services  were  of 
the  highest  order;  it  is  doubtful,  whether  any  one  but  himself 
could  have  done  what  he  did.  When  peace  was  re-established, 
in  1859,  he  re-visited  England  in  broken  health,  the  consequence 
of  his  exertions  and  exposure.  In  March,  1862,  he  returned  to 
India  as  Commissioner  of  the  Cis-Satlaj  States,  and  in  December, 
1864,  he  finally  resigned  active  service. 

We  must  think  of  him  as  a  soldier,  a  civil  officer,  a  writer,  as 
well  as  an  orator,  and  a  true  Christian  man. 

It  were  wrong,  for  an  instant,  to  class  him  among  the  great 
commanders  of  Great  Britain  and  India,  such  as  Clive,  Havelock, 
Clyde,  or  Sir  Charles  Napier,  who  commanded  great  armies,  and 
won  great  battles.  His  place  is  more  with  such  brave  men,  as 
Garibaldi  and  Gordon,  who  by  force  of  character  led  undis- 
ciplined troops  to  victory,  and  by  their  genius  made  things 
possible,  which  appeared  impossible.  As  a  civil  officer  likewise, 
except  in  that  branch,  which  is  called  political,  he  had  no  great 
capacity  or  experience  ;  he  cared  not  for  the  peaceful  duties  of 
magistrate,  collector,  and  judge  of  a  well-ordered  district ;  his 
genius  and  gallant  spirit  enabled  him  to  curb  barbarous  tribes, 
win  the  love  and  respect  of  indomitable,  yet  noble,  barbarians. 
He  made  plunderers  leave  off  plundering,  fighters  leave  off 
fighting,  and,  when  the  great  crisis  occurred  of  a  mutiny  and 
a  rebellion,  he  was  found  dauntless,  unmoved,  full  of  resource, 
ready  to  strike,  never  for  one  instant  doubting  of  the  goodness 
of  his  cause,  of  the  wise  ordering  of  Providence,  and  the 
certainty  of  success,  and  in  the  time  of  triumph  he  was  merciful. 

It  was  as  a  writer  and  an  orator,  that  he  elicited  the  surprised 
admiration  of  his  acquaintances.  Before  he  came  into  public 
notoriety  he  had  written  clever  letters  to  a  local  newspaper,  but 
subsequently   his    contributions    to    the    Calcutta   Rtvkw,    his 


(    78     ) 

"Year  on  the  Panjab  Frontier,"  his  public  letters,  his  private 
correspondence,  and  the  first  volume  of  his  unfinished  *'  Life  of 
Sir  Henry  Lawrence,"  placed  him  in  the  foremost  rank  of 
the  literary  men  of  his  period  in  India.  Indeed,  I  know  of 
none,  who  can  equal  him  in  some  particula,rs.  Add  to  this  his 
remarkable  speeches  and  addresses  in  England  during  his  two 
visits.  The  great  merit  of  these  Memorials  is,  that  they  bring 
all  his  public  utterances  together,  and  reveal  for  the  first  time 
some  of  his  private  correspondence.  Their  characteristic  is, 
that  they  contain  sentiments  of  surprising  beauty,  clothed  in 
words  of  most  happy  selection,  struck  off  at  the  spur  of  the 
moment,  for  his  mind  must  have  been  a  fountain  of  sweet 
thoughts  and  happy  images  ever  bubbling  up,  ever  tinted  wath 
the  true  colour  of  an  abiding  faith,  springing  from  an  innate 
nobility  of  nature,  purified  by  a  humble  Christian  spirit.  He 
passed  without  an  effort  from  grave  to  gay  in  his  charming  con- 
versation, and  w^as  equally  a  master  of  wit  and  pathos,  making 
his  hearers  laugh  or  weep,  as  if  by  a  magic  spell,  though  the 
pensive  mood  came  oftenest.  There  was  a  musical  clearness  in 
his  voice,  and  a  ring  in  his  intonation  when  on  the  platform,  as 
of  a  trumpet  talking  with  the  audience ;  though  his  hearers 
could  not  always  agree  with  all  his  sentiments,  which  were  often 
extreme,  they  came  away  smitten  with  his  power,  and  carrying 
away  some  expressions  never  to  be  forgotten.  At  a  prayer- 
meeting,  or  an  assembly,  a  hearer  for  the  first  time  might  ponder, 
whether  he  stored  up  in  his  brain  his  sweet  impromptus  during 
his  walks,  or  as  he  lay  waking  on  his  bed,  or  whether  they  came 
rushing  from  his  heart  to  his  brain  and  his  mouth,  in  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  moment ;  it  was  equally  the  characteristic  of  his 
writings,  whether  permanent  or  ephemeral ;  spontaneous  pearls 
seem  to  drop  off  the  margin  of  each  page  of  his  writings,  and 
over  the  bar  of  the  platform,  as  he  spoke,  into  the  shorthand 
notes  of  the  reporter.  Sometimes  they  were  jovial,  for  his  was 
a  sunny  nature,  sometimes  classical,  sometimes  moralizing, 
always  happy,  refined,  and  soul-lifting,  never  far-fetched,  or 
lacking  in  transparent  purity.  They  remain  as  treasures  in  the 
memory  connected  with  the  man. 

What  of  his  Christian  character  ?  Mr.  Venn,  the  Secretary  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society,  said  to  him  in  parting,  that  he 
recognized  the  grace  given  to  him  to  dedicate  his  ability  and 
influence  to  God's  glory.  One,  who  knew  him  well,  said  that 
he  had  never  heard  any  one  so  bold  in  confessing  Christ. 
Many  of  us  felt  as  he  did,  but  at  our  time  of  life  had  not  the 
courage  to  avow  it,  for  he  did  it  in  his  youthful  prime,  bringing 
to  the  Lord  the  offering  of  a  pure  and  unsullied  life ;  it  might 
under  another  set  of  rulers  have  marred  his  official  prospects, 
but  he  heeded  it  not.     His  weaker  compeers  cannot  clearly  tell. 


.    (     79     ) 

how  much  they  owed  to  Edwardes  for  the  stability  of  their  faith, 
anymore  than  a  private  soldier  on  the  eve  of  a  battle  can  clearly 
define,  how  much  of  his  courage  he  owed  to  the  dauntless 
bearing  of  his  officer  in  the  moment  of  peril. 

Some  may  have  charged  him  with  vanity,  and  these  Memorials 
betray  to  the  world,  that  he  thought  too  much  of  the  services, 
which  he  had  rendered,  and  of  the  estimation  in  which  the  world 
held  them.  He  had  not  risen  to  the  grand  level  of  rejoicing  in 
the  work  itself,  in  finding  his  reward  in  the  work  done,  and  in 
the  infelt  gratitude,  that  God  had  chosen  him  for  the  work. 
Had  he  lived  a  little  longer,  in  the  calmness  of  his  spirit  he 
would  in  his  own  manner  have  recalled  the  great  Roman  citizen, 
who  left  his  farm  to  save  the  State,  and  went  back  to  it,  when 
his  work  was  done,  seeking  no  praise,  content  to  have  done  his 
duty.  A  wiser  chronicler  of  his  life  would  have  suppressed  those 
casual  bursts  of  discontent,  and  unjust  reflections  on  others. 
Had  he  lived  to  reach  sixty,  he  would  have  burnt  the  letters,  as 
he  would  have  forgotten  the  feelings. 

It  is  idle  to  speculate  on  what  this  kind  and  good  man  might 
have  done,  had  he  been  spared  to  enjoy  the  calm  and  quiet 
decade,  that  follows  the  completion  of  half  a  century,  for  which 
so  many  have  to  be  deeply  grateful ;  the  excitement  of  his  nature 
would  have  calmed  down,  his  deep  religious  convictions  would 
have  been  broadened :  he  might  have  seen  some  things  difterently. 
He  would  certainly  have  finished  the  life  of  Sir  Henry  Lawrence, 
which  consists  now  of  a  living  photograph  from  the  pen  of 
Edwardes  in  the  first  volume,  and  a  cold  dead  philosophic  second 
volume  by  another  hand,  linked  to  the  first  by  a  Mezentius-chain. 
Perhaps  he  would  have  been  the  chronicler  of  his  own  deeds 
by  writing  a  narrative  of  "  A  Year  on  the  Frontier  during  the 
Mutinies."  Hearts  would  have  been  uplifted  by  more  of  his 
stirring  addresses;  as  a  member  of  the  Committee  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  he  would  have  helped  to  manage  the  mission, 
he  had  founded  and  endowed  at  Peshawar.     But  it  was  not  to  be. 

Let  us  be  silent  and  thank  God.  Better  than  a  bench  of 
Bishops,  better  than  a  convent  of  recluses,  better  than  the  trans- 
cendentalism of  the  daily  celebrant,  better  than  the  vaunt  of  the 
blue  ribbon,  is  the  character  of  the  earnest  Christian  soldier, 
standing  as  a  light  amid  heathen  darkness,  doing  Christian  things 
in  a  Christian  way,  living  in  the  World,  and  holding  his  own 
among  men  of  the  World.  How  knightly  seems  that  form 
amidst  the  shattered  idols  on  the  pedestals  of  many  of  his 
contemporaries  !  Others  after  a  youth  of  wildness  may,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  have  passed  into  the  number  of  His  elect  :  some, 
alas !  of  those,  who  at  that  time  were  foremost  in  the  work  of 
bringing  souls  to  Christ,  have  become  themselves  castaways. 
But  the  shield  of  this  man  was  never  dimmed  by  the  faintest 


(     80     ) 

cloud  ;  he  had  no  vulgar  vices  or  doubts  to  get  rid  of  ;  he  went 
on  his  way  a  rejoicing  Christian  all  the  days  of  his  life,  singing 
a  song  of  triumph  down  to  the  banks  of  Jordan. 

The  value  of  such  works  as  this  and  the  lives  of  Henry  and 
John  Lawrence,  and  Sir  Henry  Havelock,  consists  in  the  fact, 
that  the  young  servant  of  the  State  can  in  them  see,  that  it  is 
possible  to  devote  time  and  talents  to  a  calling  honourable  in 
sight  of  men,  and  yet  live  close  to  God,  who  searches  the  heart. 
The  attractive  personality  of  Edwardes  will  be  forgotten,  when 
the  generation  of  men,  who  knew  him,  passes  away,  but  his  lofty 
ideal,  his  consistent  practice,  his  soul-stirring  words,  his  un- 
affected piety,  will  long  be  the  beacon  and  the  guiding-star  to 
the  young  Christian  soldier.  All  cannot  have  his  talents,  his 
great  gifts  of  oratory  and  composition,  and  his  marvellous  good 
fortune,  but  all  can  attain  to  his  faith  and  holiness.  Such 
characters  should  not  be  allowed  to  die. 

Memorials  of  Maj. -Gen.  Sir  H.  Edwardes,  K.CB-y  K.C.S.I.,  London. 

Review — Record,  1886. 


Note. 

The  character  of  this  great  man  is  illustrated  by  the  Minute, 
a  copy  of  which  is  subjoined.  When  we  had  recovered  from  the 
shock  of  the  Mutiny  and  Rebellion  of  1857,  we  all  thought,  that 
something  ought  to  be  done  to  manifest  more  clearly  the 
Christian  profession  of  the  great  officers  of  the  State,  without  in 
the  least  infringing  the  principles  of  Toleration  to  the  Religious 
convictions  of  the  People.  The  fiery  spirit  of  Sir  Herbert 
Edwardes  induced  him  to  propose  a  series  of  measures,  which 
were  endorsed  by  Sir  Donald  Macleod,  but  which  did  not 
commend  themselves  to  those,  who  thought  with  Lord  Lawrence, 
whose  Minute  contains  the  views,  which  ultimately  prevailed,  and 
in  which  I  then,  and  now,  heartily  concurred. 

February,  1887. 

Sir  J.  Lawrence  has  been  led,  since  the  occurrence  of  the  awful  events  of 
1857,  to  ponder  deeply  on  what  may  be  the  faults  and  sliortcomings  of  the 
British,  as  a  Christian  nation,  in  India.  In  considering  such  topics  he  would 
solely  endeavour  to  ascertain  what  is  our  Christian  duty.  Having  ascertained 
that,  according  to  our  erring  lights  and  conscience,  he  would  follow  it  out  to 
the  uttermost,  undeterred  by  any  considerations.  If  we  address  ourselves  to 
the  task,  it  may,  with  the  blessing  of  Providence,  not  prove  too  difficult  for  us. 
Measures  of  an  extreme  nature  have  been  proposed,  as  essential  to  be  adopted 
by  a  Christian  Government,  which  would  be  truly  difficult,  or  impossible  of 
execution.     But  on  closer  consideration  it  will  be  found  that  such  measures  are 


(     8i     ) 

not  enjoined  by  Christianity,  Init  are  cojitraiy  to  its  spirit.  Sir  J.  L.  does 
entertain  the  earnest  belief,  that  all  those  measures,  which  are  really  and  truly 
Christian,  can  be  carried  out  in  India,  not  only  without  danger  to  British  rule, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  with  every  advantage  to  its  stability.  Christian  things 
done  in  a  Christian  loay  will  never  alienate  the  heathen.  About  such  things 
there  are  qualities,  which  do  not  provoke  nor  excite  distrust,  nor  harden  to 
resistance.  It  is  when  un-Christian  things  are  done  in  the  name  of  Christianity, 
or  when  Christian  things  are  done  in  an  un-Christian  way,  that  mischief  and 
danger  are  occasioned.  The  difficulty  is  amid  the  political  complications,  the 
conflicting  social  considerations,  the  fears  and  hopes  of  self-interest,  which  are 
so  apt  to  mislead  human  judgment,  to  discern  clearly  what  is  imposed  upon  us 
by  Christian  duty,  and  2vhat  is  not.  Having  discerned  this,  we  have  to  put  it 
into  practice.  Sir  John  L.  is  satisfied,  that  in  the  Panjab  he  can  carry  out  all 
those  measures,  which  are  really  matters  of  Christian  duty  on  the  part  of  the 
Government.  And  further,  he  believes,  that  such  measures  will  arouse  no 
danger,  will  conciliate  instead  of  provoking,  and  will  subserve  to  the  ultimate 
diffusion  of  the  Truth  among  the  people. 

Such  measures  and  policy,  having  been  deliberately  determined  upon  by  the 
Supreme  Government,  should  be  openly  avowed,  and  universally  acted  upon 
throughout  the  Empire :  so  that  there  may  be  no  diversities  of  practice,  no 
isolated  tentative  or  conflicting  efforts,  which  are  indeed'  the  surest  means  of 
exciting  distrust :  so  that  the  people  may  see,  that  we  have  no  sudden  or 
sinister  designs,  and  so  that  we  may  exhibit  that  harmony  and  uniformity  of 
character,  which  befits  a  Christian  nation  striving  to  do  its  duty,  — Lahore, 
April  21,  1858. 


(     §3     ) 


VIII. 

OBITUARY    NOTICE    OF   A    DEAR    YOUNG    FRIEND. 

On  my  return  from  Palestine  in  April,  1885,  I  heard  that  my 
sweet  young  friend  S.  M.  F.  W.  had  passed  away  on  March  6th, 
just  five  months  after  her  wedding-day.  Last  Sunday  I  went 
down  to  the  now  desolate  house  of  the  afflicted  parents,  for  both 
their  daughters,  one  at  the  age  of  22,  and  the  other  at  the  age 
of  26,  have  by  the  inscrutable  dispensations  of  Providence  been 
taken  away,  and  lie  side  by  side  in  the  churchyard.  I  found  the 
village  more  beautiful  than  ever,  for  Nature  had  restored  the 
ravages  of  winter  with  a  luxuriant  beauty  of  flower  and  foliage ; 
but  the  chief  beauty  in  my  eyes  was  gone :  the  attraction,  which 
had  originally  drawn  me  to  the  village,  no  longer  existed. 

Many  young  girls  have  passed  away  in  years  bygone,  and 
many  more  will  pass  away  in  future  years,  but  the  memory  of 
these  two  sisters  deserves  recording,  as  from  their  childhood 
to  their  graves  they  were  devoted  to  the  cause  of  Christian 
Missions.  1  made  the  acquaintance  of  my  friend  when  attending 
a  Missionary  meeting  in  the  West  of  England  as  a  Deputation. 
After  the  speeches  a  sweet  young  woman  entered  into  conversa- 
tion with  me,  and  told  me,  that  her  sister,  who  had  lately  died, 
had  left  all  that  she  possessed  to  her  Missionary  Society,  and 
that  she,  the  survivor,  intended  to  go  out  as  a  Missionary  to 
China.  She  seemed  so  delicate  and  frail,  that  my  heart  sank 
within  me  at  hearing  this.  The  result  of  our  meeting  was,  that 
I  promised  to  attend  and  speak  in  the  annual  meeting  of  her 
father's  parish,  which  would  take  place  on  her  birthday,  July 
4th,  1883. 

I  found,  that  she  had  shown  an  early  love  for  the  Heathen 
lying  in  darkness ;  that,  at  the  age  of  five  and  six,  she  and  her 
younger  sister  had  started  their  baskets  of  trifles  to  be  sold  to 
form  a  fund  for  the  Mission.  As  they  grew  from  childhood 
into  girlhood,  this  intense  love  for  Missions  increased,  and  by 


(     84     ) 

their  collections  they  supported  a  child  in  a  School  in  the 
Mauritius  Mission.  They  helped  to  conduct  the  annual  sale  for 
their  Society,  and  as  they  grew  in  years,  and  their  talents 
expanded,  their  industry  developed  itself  in  painting  on  china, 
and  including  the  last  piece,  painted  by  the  surviving  sister  in 
January  of  this  year,  within  a  few  weeks  of  her  death,  they  had 
produced  a  clear  gain  of  eighty  pounds,  and  remitted  it  to  the 
Society's  House  in  London. 

The  dear  child,  whose  loss  we  freshly  deplore,  had  accepted 
the  offer  of  eternal  life,  and  full  and  complete  salvation,  after 
one  of  Mr.  Moody's  meetings  at  Camberwell ;  she  has  herself 
recorded  the  date,  June  i8th,  1875.  She  then  made  the  follow- 
ing words  part  of  herself: 

I  believe  the  glorious  record 

God  has  given  of  His  Son  ; 
I  accept  the  free  forgiveness 

His  atoning  death  has  won. 

From  the  time,  that  she  dedicated  her  life  to  Him,  the  cause  of 
Missions  became  increasingly  dear  to  her  heart  as  well  as  to  that 
of  her  sister.  Later  on  she  tried  to  help  by  her  collections  and 
her  prayers  the  Zanana  Societies.  Had  she  been  altogether  free 
and  independent  of  home-duties  and  ties,  she  would  long  ago 
have  joined  one  of  these  societies,  and  gone  out  to  the  Field. 
But  this  could  not  be.  She  had  a  fortnightly  working-party  of 
the  children  in  her  father's  parish,  and  was  a  sedulous  collector. 
It  so  happened,  that  she  had  never  visited  the  Society's  House 
in  London,  but  among  her  papers  of  last  year,  1884,  I  came 
on  the  following  entry : 

How  little  I  thought  that  my  first  visit  to  the  Society's  House  would  be  to 
offer  myself  as  the  wife  of  a  Missionary. 

God  accepted  the  dedication,  but  not  in  the  sense  in  which 
she  intended,  but  in  a  form,  which  she  accepted  without  demur 
and  without  regret.  He  had  need  of  her,  and  not  of  her  poor 
services.  She  had  hoped,  that  with  the  brave  and  strong  her 
course  might  lie  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the  Heathen,  but  another 
part  was,  suddenly  according  to  mortal  conceptions,  but  ordained 
for  her  from  the  moment  of  her  birth,  chosen  for  her,  and  she 
accepted  it  without  a  murmur.  She  had  fashioned  for  herself  a 
high,  the  highest,  idea  of  mortal  life,  but  a  still  higher  reality 
was  ordained  for  her.  She  was  one  of  those  gentle  spirits,  who 
yielded  to  His  love,  and  who,  ripening  fast,  was  soon  removed. 
Those,  that  God  loves,  die  early. 

When  her  birthday  came  round  in  July,  1884,  she  again  asked 
me  to  come,  but  I  was  away  at  the  North  Cape,  and  a  friend 
went  for  me,  and  spoke  for  the  dear  Society,  on  what  proved  to 
be  her  last  Missionary  birthday.     Humanly  speaking,  all  was 


(     85     ) 

working  in  the  way,  in  which  she  wished,  and  her  life  was  to  be 
dedicated  to  the  Heathen  ;  but  God's  ways  are  not  our  ways. 
Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?  A  feeling  of 
sublime  joy  seems  to  cast  out  the  human  sorrow,  when  I  calmly 
reflect  on  her  story. 

I  sat  down  last  Sunday  alone  in  the  little  room,  which  had 

been  the  scene  of  the  studies,  the  prayers,  and  the  labours,  of 

both  sisters,  from  their  earliest  years.'    I  looked  round  with  a 

feeling  akin  to  despair,  when  I  thought,  that  both  of  these  bright 

flowers  had  been  plucked  so  early;    it  seemed  such  a  waste  of 

good  material,  that  they  should  not  have  lived  on  to  be  the  joy, 

and  the  counsellors  of  an  unborn  generation  of  children,  and  the 

gatherers-in  of  a  rich  harvest  of  saved  souls  of  the  Heathen.     I 

was  in  the  midst  of  their  holy  and  simple  life.     There  were  their 

registers  of  the  Sunday-school,  and  of  the  Band  of  Hope  :  there 

was  the  I\Iissionary-box,  and  on  the  table  was  the  closed  desk, 

for  their  hands  were  stiff'ened;  on  the  desk  was' the  closed  pocket 

Bible,  for  their  eyes  were  darkened  ;    the  birds  sang  outside, 

but  their  voices  were  still ;    round  the  table  were  the  forms,  on 

which  the  little  village-children  used  from  week  to  week  to  sit ; 

all  was,  as  it  were,  ready  for  either  of  them  to  enter,   full  of 

health,  and  tenderness,-  and  beauty;    it  seemed,  as  if  the  door 

must  at  any  moment  open,  and  let  them  in,  for  the  memory  of 

them  perfumed  the  room,  like  the  odour  of  crushed  rose-leaves ; 

but  they  will  return  no  more ;  they  are  engaged  in  the  service 

of  their  Master  elsewhere.    The  feeling  of  despair,  which  had 

seized  me,  suddenly  disappeared,  when  I  thought  of  the  plenteous 

Grace,  which  must  have  descended  within  these  narrow  walls,  to 

make  them  what  they  were,  to  make  her,  whom  I  knew  and  loved 

so,  what  I  knew  her  to  be.     It  must  have  been  Grace,  that  took 

them  to  their  Saviour's  feet,  when  they  were  quite  little  children, 

and  kept  them  there,  steadfast  to  the  end,  neither  fearing  to 

depart,  nor  wishing  to  depart,  ready  to  stay  and  ready  to  go,  for 

I  read  her  own  words,  dated  December  31st,  1881  : 

My  life  is  in  His  keeping ;  I  have  entrusted  it  to  Him,  so  what  He  does  I 
am  satisfied  with.  I  look  back  on  many  sins  and  failings,  and  lost  oppor- 
tunities of  witnessing  for  Him  ;  but  they  have  all  been  brought  to  the  Fountain 
opened  to  wash  away  sin,  and  all,  I  know,  are  pardoned.  His  love  is  my  rest, 
my  joy,  and  my  strength,  and  who  shall  separate  me  from  His  love?  No  one  ; 
nothing ;  for  I  am  His,  and  He  is  mine,  my  very  own  for  ever  !  and,  if  He  came 
for  me,  and  called  me  home,  how  joyfully  I  will  go  !  If  left  to  live,  may  I  only 
live  for  Him  ! 

Her  heart  was  filled  with  high  aspirations,  and  she  had  Grace 
given  to  her  to  carry  them  into  action.  Hers  were  not  empty 
words,  for  on  a  little  piece  of  paper  1  found  in  pencil  the  rough 
copy  of  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  E.  Wickham,  of  Holmwood,  Dorking, 
dated  July  30,  1877  : 


(     86     ) 

Dear  Sir, —I  was  so  much  interested  and  touched  by  what  Mr.  Hubbard 
said  at  the  Missionary  meeting  this  afternoon,  that  instead  of  giving  to  the 
collection  the  silver  I  had  meant,  I  felt  constrained,  out  of  love  to  Christ  and 
a  desire  to  do  something  for  Him,  to  give  a  sovereign,  which  was  lately  given 
to  me  as  a  birthday  present ;  and  the  reason  of  my  writing  to  you  is  to  say, 
that,  if  you  will  allow  it,  I  should  like  that  sovereign,  to  go  especially  towards 
sending  a  Missionary  to  King  Mtesa,  and  I  trust  money  will  soon  be  raised  for 
that  object,  that  it  may  never  be  said,  that  England  is  too  poor  to  send  the  men 
out,  when  they  are  ready  to  go.  Please  let  Mr.  Hubbard  know  of  my  wish, 
but  please  do  not  mention  this  to  any  one  else,  or  try  to  find  out  who  I  am,  as 
1  wish  only  to  be  known,  as  a  young  Christian  lover  of  Missions.  May  God 
help  me  to  think  and  pray  to  do  more  for  the  Heathen  than  I  have  yet  done ! 

I  felt,  that  the  two  daughters  had  not  lived  in  vain,  that  they 
had  scattered  around  them  the  perfume  of  the  beauty  of  holiness. 
Souls  had  been  brought  to  their  Saviour  by  their  useful  and 
gentle  lives,  and  more  had  been  touched  by  the  contemplation 
of  their  holy  and  steadfast  departure,  the  faithful  and  fearless 
going  home  to  the  mansion  of  their  Father.  The  parents  may 
well  feel,  that  they  have  a  greater  happiness  in  two  dead  daughters 
such  as  these,  than  they  would  have  derived  from  many  living 
children,  who  knew  not  the  Lord. 

Church  Missionary  Society  Gleaner,  August,  1885. 


(     S7     ) 


IX. 

EXETER    HALL,    MAY    i,    1888. 
C.M.S.   OR   "Christ   My  Salvation." 

Through  the  high  windows  flows  a  flood  of  Hght, 

TelHng  of  coming  Spring,  and  present  May  ; 
Before  the  doors  rolls  on,  both  day  and  night 

Laborious  London's  pitiless  array: 

Withdrawn  from  worldly  work  for  one  brief  day 
The  spacious  Hall  can  scarcely  room  aff'ord, 

(While  on  the  sounding  organ  loud  they  play,) 
For  men  and  women  met  with  one  accord 
On  this  their  annual  feast  to  praise  their  Lord. 

Each  feels  a  portion  of  the  holy  flame  : 

Why  was  our  Country  made  so  great  and  strong  ? 
Why  does  our  genius  Savage  races  tame  ? 

Why  do  the  ends  of  earth  to  us  belong  ? 

Why  do  all  nations  to  this  city  throng  ? 
Why  does  the  great  Controller  bless  our  store. 

And  deign  our  world-wide  Empire  to  prolong. 
But  to  enforce  our  duty  more  and  more. 
To  spread  our  Saviour's  rule  from  shore  to  shore  ? 

Up  to  the  ceiling  rise  the  hymns  of  praise ; 

A  holy  text  is  read  :  in  prayer  we  kneel : 
Upstanding  one  by  one  with  skilful  phrase 

In  turn  the  speakers  our  attention  steal. 

With  thrilling  tones,  and  words,  that  make  us  feel 
The  grandeur  of  the  subject :  our  hearts  glow 

With  love  and  pity  in  their  varying  phase : 
In  sweet  alternatings  of  Joy  and  Woe 
Our  thoughts  fly  "Up  on  high,"  and  "Down  below." 


(     88     ) 


"  Down  below" 

"  Down  below"  we  see  the  brave  men  toiling, 
Bearing  th'  unsufFered  sufferings  of  their  Lord  : 

From  no  hard  trial  in  weak  fear  recoiling, 
Trusting  to  no  flesh-arm,  or  human  sword, 
But  to  th'  Eternal  changeless  Promise-Word  : 

Some  have  come  home  our  sympathies  to  share. 
Their  plain  unvarnished  story  to  record  : 

Some  have  remained  for  ever,  where  they  were  : 

Christ  on  the  cross  looked  down  upon  them  there. 

Round  them  new  germs  of  Christian  life  are  springing. 

New  possibilities  of  human  love  : 
In  humble  chapels  Sabbath-bells  are  ringing, 

And  swarthy  white-robed  Pastors  gently  move 

Amidst  their  flocks  to  tell  of  Christ  above  : 
Its  giant  fronds  still  waves  the  Palm  on  high  : 

The  glorious  Sunsets  still  illume  the  grove: 
All  is  unchanged  in  Nature's  sea  and  sky ; 
The  hearts  of  Man  have  changed  mysteriously. 

Upraised  on  high  the  ensign  of  the  Cross, 

While  the  stone-idol  from  its  shrine  is  thrown : 

The  Savage  man  for  Christ  counts  all  things  loss  : 
No  longer  hideous  rites  and  crimes  are  known, 
Since  to  his  heart  the  holier  path  is  shown  : 

By  his  side  walk  his  children,  and  his  wife. 
Who  meekly  shares  his  labours,  his  alone : 

Joys  of  the  present,  hopes  of  future  life, 

Blot  out  the  memory  of  forgotten  strife. 


"  D^p  above" 

"  Up  above"   the  roof  and  walls  seem  falling, 

And  Christ's  great  promise  to  us  is  fulfilling: 
He  will  be  with  His  children  at  their  calling: 

His  presence  now  this  crowded  Hall  is  filling; 

Jesus  is  here,  all  fear  and  doubtings  stilling  : 
His  power  supports,  His  mercies  never  fail : 

He  sees  His  Servants  gathered  here  are  willing 
Humbly  to  do  His  work,  though  weak  and  frail : 
Rise  up,  rise  up,  the  Risen  Lord  to  hail  1 


(     89    ) 

As  the  scene  clears  for  human  eye  to  view, 

We  see  the  Saints  and  Angels  round  His  throne  : 

The  holy  Martyrs,  and  Confessors  too  ; 
We  recognize  some  dear  ones,  as  our  own, 
Our  own  lost  friends,  not  lost,  before  us  gone  : 

Our  brothers,  and  our  sisters,  firm  and  bold. 
Who  counted  life  dear  but  to  lay  it  down, 

His  service,  and  His  honour  to  uphold, 

And  bring  back  erring  sinners  to  His  fold. 

And  they  look  down  on  us  with  solemn  greeting, 

Bidding  us  cleave  to  the  same  Gospel  true, 
And  looking  forward  to  a  heavenly  meeting. 

To  be  with  Christ,  when  all  is  made  anew. 

Oh  !  come  ye  doubting  ones  with  me,  and  view 
The  low  straw  hut,  where  Saints  their  labours  close 

Midst  tears  and  prayers  of  men  of  dusky  hue. 
For  whom  Christ  died,  for  whom  again  He  rose : 
Let  the  kind  Shepherd's  arms  His  wandering  Iambs  enclose  ! 

Words  uttered  here  fall  on  the  page  below, 

And  are  recorded  by  a  faithful  hand  : 
Then  through  the  trumpet-sounding  Press  they  blow 

Over  the  length  and  breadth  of  British  Land, 

Telling  the  triumphs  of  Immanuel's  band  : 
Making  the  hearts  of  faithful  men  to  glow : 

The  morn  is  breaking  at  His  high  command, 
And  streaks  of  blessed  light  begin  to  show 
The  coming  of  the  reign  of  Christ  below. 

Is  not  this  day  the  sweetest  of  the  year  ? 

Spared  are  we  still  to  see  another  May. 
Is  it  not  well  for  us  to  gather  here. 

And,  counting  up  our  failings,  homage  pay 

To  Him,  who  has  accepted  us  this  day 
According  to  our  will,  not  to  our  powers  ? 

For  what  have  we  to  offer,  but  what  may 
Spring  from  His  gift,  wealth,  talents,  labouring  hours  ? 
Thine  be  the  glory,  Lord  1   the  blessing  still  be  ours  ! 

Exeter  Hall,  May  i,  1888 
(in  my  old  seat). 


(     91     ) 


X. 


A  WORD  TO  THOSE,  WHO  DO  NOT  RECOGNIZE  THE 
DIVINELY  IMPOSED  DUTY  OF  EVANGELIZATION. 

A  FRIEND  mentioned  to  me  one  day  the  secular  addresses, 
which  he  made  to  hard-headed  good  men,  who  would  decline 
to  be  considered  Christians,  though  their  actions  and  mode  of 
life  showed,  that,  in  spite  of  their  protestations,  the  law  of  Christ 
had  engraved  itself  upon  their  life ;  and  suggested  to  me  the 
idea  of  writing  a  Missionary  address  upon  secular  lines.  Was 
I  afraid  to  face  such  an  audience  ?  Certainly  not.  As  an 
advanced  Liberal,  yet  true  to  the  Union  of  the  three  Kingdoms, 
I  had  on  political  platforms  boldly  expressed  my  sentiments  in 
spite  of  the  yells  of  infuriated  Home-Rulers:  and  I  had  not 
been  afraid  to  look  boldly  into  the  face  of  the  Anti-Opium- 
Trade  fanatics  in  Exeter  Hall,  while  I  tried  in  vain  to  instil 
ideas  of  common  sense  into  their  unreasoning  brains. 

I  respect  real  bona-fide  Atheists,  and  Agnostics,  who  are  so 
from  profound  convictions,  who  lead  moral  lives,  and  who 
themselves  respect  the  religious  opinions  of  others :  they  are 
feelers  for  the  truth.  And  I  feel,  that  but  for  the  Grace  of  God, 
acting  through  the  circumstances  of  my  early  life,  I  should 
probably  have  been  among  them,  for  I  still  rejoice  in  the  title  of 
a  Freethinker,  in  the  Christian  sense  of  that  word,  one  who  must 
know  what  he  believes,  and  be  able  to  give  a  reason  for  his 
belief,  involving  no  hard  points  in  fog,  and  not  afraid  to  look 
difficulties  in  the  face.  If  I  had  not  witnessed  so  many  Hindus 
and  Mahometans  go  bravely  and  unshrinkingly  to  their  death, 
I  should  wonder,  how  a  man  could  dare  to  die  without  hope  in 
Christ.  If  experience  had  not  convinced  me,  that  round  me 
were  many  good  men,  who  professed  unbelief,  I  should  wonder, 
how  a  man  would  dare  to  live  without  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
To  grasp  the  subject  of  Christian  Missions,  omitting  the  name 
of  Christ,  is  hard.  To  seem  for  an  instant,  and  only  for  a 
purpose,  to  treat  the  life  and  death  of  Christ  as  a  beautiful 
legend,  to  roll  up  out  of  sight  the  all-absorbing  love  of  the 
Saviour,  is  harder  still.     Still,  it  must  be  done,  in  order  to  draw 


(      92      ) 

from  Human  Experience,  from  actual  Results,  from  the  History 
of  our  Period,  evidence  of  the  reality  of  an  hidden  Inner  Power 
behind  the  scenes,  on  which  such  marvels  of  Human  Benevolence 
are  being  represented. 

It  is  an  uncontestable  fact,  that  no  body  of  men  (except  the 
Mormons)  has  up  to  the  present  moment  deliberately  started 
]\lissionary  enterprizes  to  convert  to  their  views  the  Heathen  on 
any  other  basis  than  that  of  the  New  Testament.  A  great  deal 
has  been  written  about  IMahometan  ]Missionaries.  I  can  only 
reply,  that  I  never  came  across  one.  A  Mahometan,  no  doubt,  is 
ready  to  circumcise  his  male  slave,  and  to  make  his  female  slave 
nominally  conform  to  Islam,  and  be  his  concubine,  but  nothing 
beyond  is  proved  to  my  satisfaction,  either  in  Asia,  or  Africa. 
Conversions  may  have  been  effected  by  force  in  times  past, 
and  by  fraud,  or  worldly  inducement,  in  times  present,  but 
I  never  read  of  money  collected  to  send  out  emissaries.  In 
India  there  is  a  fair  and  open  field,  and  most  capable,  and 
accomplished,  and  good  Mahometans,  but  a  proselyting  ]\Iission 
has  not  been  entered  upon.  I  have  come  across  no  company  of 
Unitarian  Preachers  in  Heathen  lands,  still  less  of  Agnostics, 
Theists,  or  Atheists.'  The  Buddhist  Missions,  whatever  they 
were  (and  certainly  they  were  successful),  are  things  of  the  dim 
and  remote  past,  and  no  tendency  has  been  developed  by  the 
IMillions  of  existing  followers  of  Buddha  to  propagate  their 
peaceful,  and  exemplary,  doctrines,  by  the  practice  of  which  in 
their  purity  the  happiness  of  man  would  be  advanced.  As  a  fact, 
the  religion  of  Buddha  is  so  choked  by  the  parasitical  growth 
of  Heathenism,  that  it  would  require  to  be  itself  reformed, ' 
before  it  could  be  conveyed  as  a  message  to  others.  The  same 
remark  applies  to  the  Mahometan  and  Christian  Religions.  It 
is  possible,  that  there  may  be  an  outburst  of  Mahometan  Wahabi, 
or  Reformers,  who  may  be  fired  with  the  desire  to  preach  the 
doctrines  of  Mahomet.  We  know  as  a  fact  that,  previous  to  the 
great  Reformation  of  the  Christian  Religion  in  the  sixteenth 
Century  there  was  little  attempt  to  carry  the  Christian  Religion 
to  the  Heathen  out  of  Europe.  But,  when  the  Church  of  Rome 
had  purged  itself  from  its  worst  errors  of  INIediaeval  practice 
under  the  new  impulse  given  by  the  new  order  of  the  Jesuits,  it 
commenced  its  great  career  of  Christian  Missions,  in  which,  after 
two  centuries  of  torpor,  it  has  been  followed  by  the  Reformed 
Churches  of  Europe  and  America.  This  leads  me  up  to  my  first 
position  that 

I.  No  other  Religion,  but  that  of  Christ,  has  furnished  the  viotive,  and  the 
pcnve7\  to  induce  men  and  women  to  sacrifice  their  personal  comforts  for  the 
sake  of  converting  unknown  and  distant  races  to  their  views  of  thinking. 

Our  countrymen,  who  do  not  agree  with  us  as  Christians,  are 
still    unconsciously    so    imbued    with    Christian    feeling,    have 


(    93     ) 

lived  so  entirely  in  the  atmosphere  of  Christian  thought  and 
practice,  and  display  in  their  every-day  life  so  much  goodness, 
and  purity,  and  benevolence,  that  it  would  not  seem  strange,  if 
they  were  to  send  out  Missions.  We  should  then  bring  to  the 
test  the  fact,  upon  which  Christians  insist,  that  it  is  the  love  of 
Christ  only,  that  constraineth  men  to  undergo  sufferings,  and  that 
it  is  the  poiver  of  Christ  only,  that  enables  them  to  conquer  them. 
These  may  seem  bold  words,  but  History  testifies  to  their 
accuracy.  I  cast  no  blame  upon  any  one  for  having  exercised 
only  passive  virtues :  such  was  our  position  also  last  century, 
but  we  have  been  roused  to  a  sense  of  certain  facts,  which 
underlie  our  Faith,  that: 

I.  God  made  man  in  His  own  image,  and  that,  however  hard 
it  may  seem  to  the  Ethnologist,  all  mankind  belong  to  the  same 
Family,  inasmuch  that,  by  the  gift  of  speech,  they  are  separated 
from  the  rest  of  Creation,  and  they  resemble,  each  other  much 
more  than  they  differ. 

H.  Christ  looked  down  from  the  Cross  on  all  mankind,  and 
died  for  them,  every  one,  without  any  exception. 

HI.  The  parting  words  of  our  Saviour  were  an  order  to  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature  in"  all  the  world,  and  a  promise  to 
be  with  us  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

The  next  consideration  is  : 

II.  The  wonderful  change,  which  has  come  over  European  nations,  since 
they  became  Christians,  the  Duty  imposed  upon  them,  and  the  aid.  derived 
from  the  Missionary  Spirit. 

Now  this  is  a  matter  of  History,  as  it  has  all  happened  since 
Julius  Caesar,  the  first  Roman  Emperor,  was  killed,  and  we 
know  from  Roman  authors  what  the  state  of  Europe  was  only 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  and  we  know  what  it  is  now.  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  waste  time  on  this  argument,  nor  is  it 
possible  to  disconnect  Christianity  from  our  civilization.  I  am 
very  familiar  with  the  history  of  Rome  and  Greece,  and  the 
great  Kingdoms  of  Asia,  and  North  Africa,  and  I  cannot  say  of 
them,  that  they  were  great,  wise,  enlightened,  and  sympathetic : 
they  did  not  care  to  stamp  out  abominable  crimes.;  the  men, 
possessed  of  wealth  and  power,  openly  vaunted  of  the  com- 
mission of  vices,  which,  if  committed  at  all  under  a  Christian 
Government,  are  matter  for  concealment  and  shame.  I  can  find 
no  proof  in  their  history,  that  they  were  ever  possessed  with  a 
great  idea  of  doing  good  to  their  neighbours. 

It  is  a  poor  argument  to  say,  that  we  did  very  well  without 
Missions :  this  seems  to  be  said  in  forgetfulness,  that  the 
religious  spirit  of  a  man  advances  just  as  much  as  his  scientific  : 
our  fathers  did  very  well  without  the  effects  of  physical  Science 
of  to-day.  As  our  day,  so  is  our  strength  :  as  our  strength 
increases,  and  our  opportunity,  so  increases  our   Duty.     As  a 


(    94    ) 

fact,  we  have  been  forced  into  contact  with  non-Christian  races 
in  Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  Oceania :  can  we  be  content  to 
fold  our  hands,  and  do  nothing  ?  Some  how  or  other,  the 
nobility  of  our  character  compels  us  to  consider  the  problem, 
whether  we  cannot  do  something  to  ameliorate  their  condition, 
for  in  some  particulars  it  is  sad.  The  great  Darwin  admitted, 
that  the  inhabitants  of  Tierra  del  Fuego  were  human,  but  in 
culture  very  little  above  beasts :  this  is  not  satisfactory  infor- 
mation, and  makes  the  ears  of  benevolent  men  tingle.  Now,  as 
a  fact,  will  the  excellent  men,  who  are  unable  to  accept  the 
promises  of  Christ,  the  good  people,  who  tell  us  mildly,  that 
they  expect  to  go  after  death  to  the  place,  where  other  good 
people  go,  the  good  old  Heathens  of  the  Augustan  type  of 
Juvenal,  and  Seneca,  of  Antoninus  Pius,  and  Adrian,  who  have 
lived  down  to  our  time  :  will  any  of  them,  full  of  benevolence  as 
they  are,  band  themselves  together  to  collect  tens  of  thousand 
Pounds  in  every  town  and  village  in  Great  Britain,  to  send  out 
below  cost  price  JNIoral  Treatises,  or  Fruits  of  Philosophy,  or 
Supernatural  Religion,  for  the  instruction  of  these  inferior 
races  ?  Will  they  send  out  devoted  Atheists,  and  consecrated 
Comtists,  and  Agnostics,  to  live  among  wild  tribes,  acquire 
their  languages,  soften  their  rough  manners,  win  their  love,  and 
love  them  in  return,  die  for  them,  and  teach  them  how  to  die, 
worthy  of  life  beyond  the  grave  ? 

There  must  be  something  in  the  movement.  An  American  this 
year  said  to  me,  that  he  had  come  over  to  see  all  the  sights  of 
London ;  and  he  did  not  think  his  visit  accomplished,  until  he  had 
seen  the  Committee  of  the  Church  IMissionary  Society  assembled 
in  their  room  of  business.  It  so  happened,  that  he  came  at  a 
moment,  when  four  Agents  were  receiving  their  instructions 
previous  to  their  departure  to  different  quarters  of  the  world  : 
there  was  a  mechanic  going  out  to  construct  a  IMission-boat  on 
Victoria  Nyanza  in  Central  Africa:  a  medical  man  going  to  China: 
a  female  Evangelist  to  Mombasa  in  East  Africa,  and  an  ordained 
IMissionary  to  the  wild  tribes  in  Canada.  It  struck  him,  as  note- 
worthy, but  to  us  it  seemed  our  ordinary  routine  ;  the  Engine 
Room,  the  Hospital,  the  IMission-School,  and  the  Mission- 
Chapel,  can  all  be  instruments  of  human  Benevolence  to  poor 
human  creatures,  whether  black,  or  red,  or  yellow,  if  only  the 
motive  Power  can  be  found,  and  the  sole  Power,  that  History  has 
yet  revealed  to  us,  is  Christ.  Take  the  islands  of  New  Zealand 
as  an  example  :  they  belong  to  Great  Britain  and  to  Christ  simply 
because  one  earnest  man,  a  century  ago,  Samuel  jMarsden,  was 
smitten  with  the  desire  at  the  risk  of  his  life  to  carry  to  them  the 
Gospel.  Every  Briton  burns  with  a  desire  to  put  an  end  to  the 
African  Slave  trade,  but  how  could  all  the  Governments  of  Europe 
effect  it,  without  the  aid  of  interpreters  trained  in  the  Mission- 


r  95  ) 

School,  and  what  would  become  of  the  poor  released  slaves,  but 
for  the  Homes  established  by  the  Missionaries  ?  When  Lord 
Wolseley  went  up  the  Nile  to  relieve  Gordon,  he  was  accompanied 
by  interpreters  trained  by  Missionaries,  and  so  was  Stanley,  when 
he  visited  King  Mtesa  on  Victoria  Nyanza,  and  discovered  the 
course  of  the  Kongo. 

III.  The  Christian  Missions  have  been  a  blessing  to  the  countries,  in  which 
they  were  located,  as  far  as  concerns  things  of  this  world. 

Darwin  is  my  first  witness  : 

There  are  many,  who  attack  both  the  missionaries,  their  system,  and  the  effect 
produced  by  it.  Such  reasoners  never  compare  the  present  state  with  that  of 
the  island  only  twenty  years  ago  ;  nor  even  with  that  of  Europe  at  the  present 
day  ;  but  they  compare  it  with  the  high  standard  of  gospel-perfection. 

The  lesson  of  the  Missionary  is  the  enchanter's-wand. 

Vice-Consul  Johnston,  of  the  Kameruns,  West  Africa,  in  an 
article  in  the  Nineteenth  Ce7itury,  noticed  the  personality  of 
jMissionaries  rather  flippantly,  and  of  the  Negro  rather  unkindly, 
and  is  evidently  not  a  supporter  of  jNIissionary  Societies,  but, 
somehow  or  other,  he  makes  the  following  remark  : 

It  is  consoling  to  reflect  on  the  immense  services,  which  Mission  enterprizes 
have  rendered  to  Africa,  to  the  world  at  large,  and  to  Great  Britain,  When  the 
history  of  the  great  African  States  comes  to  be  written,  the  arrival  of  the  first 
Missionary  will  be  the  first  historical  event  (as  Julius  Caesar  in  Britain)  :  he  gave 
them  their  first  idea  of  the  Printing  Press,  Steamboat,  and  Saw-Mill  :  he  first 
navigated  their  rivers,  and  lakes.  Missionary  enterprize  has  widely  increased 
the  bounds  of  our  knowledge,  and  has  conferred  benefits  on  Science. 

A  writer  on  India  says  : 

No  one,  who  has  lived  long  in  a  heathen  land,  can  have  any  doubt  upon  the 
immense  advantage  of  the  diffusion  of  the  Gospel :  the  suppression  of  heathen 
rites  and  usages :  the  creation  of  a  public  commerce  :  the  formation  of  a  public 
opinion  in  favour  of  the  pure,  the  honest,  and  the  true,  the  elevation  of  the 
moral  standard,  the  vindication  of  the  rights  of  man  to  exercise  the  faculties 
given  by  God :  all  these  are  unspeakable  blessings,  and  they  accompany  the 
Gospel. 

Speaking  myself  from  the  point  of  view  of  a  Heathen  Philo- 
sopher, of  Socrates,  Plato,  and  Cicero,  I  must  record  my  opinion, 
that,  if  the  Christian  jNIissions  to  West  Africa  had,  during  the 
last  half  century,  produced  nothing  but  the  sweet,  and  holy,  in- 
telligent, and  gentle,  personalities  of  my  dear  friends,  Samuel  and 
Dandeson  Crowther,  Henry  and  James  Johnston,  pure  Negroes, 
yet  accomplished  gentlemen,  as  keen  on  the  subjects  of  Educa- 
tion, Philosophy,  Geography,  and  Philanthropy,  as  any  of  us, 
the  expenditure  of  scores  of  British  lives,  and  thousands  of 
British  Pounds,  has  not  been  in  vain,  for  they  are  living  samples 
of  many,  who  will  come  hereafter ;  they  are  living  refutations  of 
the  assertion,  that  the  Negro  is  incapable  of  culture  :  and  without 


(    96    ) 

the  power  of  Christ  working  upon  British  souls  to  commence 
their  great  enterprize,  without  the  power  of  Christ,  working  on 
the  souls  of  those  four  men,  and  holding  them  in  subjection, 
they  would  not  have  been  what  they  are. 

We  may  wonder,  how  in  a  Heathen  country  the  domestic 
virtues  managed  to  keep  themselves  alive  ;  how  conjugal  fidelity, 
love  of  offspring,  obedience  to  parents,  and  the  other  sweet 
gentle  virtues,  managed  to  maintain  a  precarious  existence,  in 
spite  of  ignorance  and  oppression  ;  but  my  long  residence  in  the 
midst  of  my  people  in  Upper  India  convinces  me,  that  there  is 
in  the  heart  of  man  a  fountain  of  goodness,  that  is  inexhaust- 
ible. But,  when  the  contact  of  the  low  abandoned  white  man 
takes  place,  new  forms  of  violence,  new  seeds  of  disease,  new 
varieties  of  crime,  and  vice,  come  into  existence,  poisoning  the 
quiet  stream  of  barbarous  life :  and  this  points  to  the  necessity 
of  the  same  nation,  which  sent  the  poison,  sending  also  the 
antidote,  to  correct  the  notion,  which  had  forced  itself  on 
secluded  tribes,  that  the  white  men  were  bad  devils,  and 
bringing  something  in  return  for  much  evil  suffered.  We  must 
all  feel  a  desire  to  elevate  these  fallen  races,  and  lift  them  up 
from  their  helpless,  barbarous  state.  Who  can  do  it  ?  Who  has 
time  to  do  it  ?  Who  can  find  the  means  to  do  it  ?  The 
operation  is  dangerous,  costly,  tedious,  and,  as  far  as  human 
eyes  see,  thankless.  We  have  to  get  rid  of  Cannibalism,  and 
Human  Sacrifice,  at  once,  and  Slavery,  Polygamy,  Magical  rites, 
and  Cruelty,  gradually.  The  Government  of  a  European  country 
cannot  do  it.  A  Commercial  body  would  not  find  it  pay  a 
dividend.  The  Traveller  and  Explorer  cannot  stop  to  do  il. 
Will  any  Benevolent  Association,  which  is  not  bound  together 
by  the  cement  of  the  love  of  Christ,  undertake  it  ?  Yet  our 
hearts  go  out  in  pity  and  love  to  them ;  we  recognize  in  some 
their  natural  goodness,  their  hospitality,  the  kindness  of  the 
women,  their  love  to  the  children.  Will  no  one  go  forward .'' 
Yes!  Brother:  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us.  We  believe, 
that  these  also  are  men,  and  the  sons  of  Adam,  and  that  Christ 
looked  down  from  the  Cross  on  these  also,  and  died  for  them, 
and  our  hearts  burn  within  us  to  carry  to  them  also  the  Gospel 
of  Salvation. 

IV.  There  is  a  very  weak  side  to  Missions. 

I  often  hear  this,  or  similar  remarks,  and  it  is  true  :  f/iere  is  a 
very  weak  side:  the  men  employed  to  carry  the  Gospel  are  very 
human,  and  in  no  respect  Angels.  Their  publications  have  been 
worse  than  their  actual  deeds  :  people  complain  of  so  much  cant, 
and  false  sentiment, such  ignorance, intolerance;  such  impertinent 
attempts  of  some  to  set  the  world  right  according  to  their  idea 
of  right :    denouncing  a   great   commerce   betwixt   two   great 


(    97     ) 

countries  ;  prying  into  the  unsavoury  details  of  a  Military 
Barrack  ;  trying  to  persuade  a  just  Government  to  let  them  have 
the  control  of  the  Education  of  a  great  people  ;  tilting  against 
ancient  customs :  then,  according  to  others,  they  are  divided 
against  themselves,  and  speak  evil  of  each  other:  they  want  to 
be  too  comfortable,  and  share  the  luxuries  of  the  rich  rather 
than  the  simple  lives  of  the  poor:  they  attack  the  great  religions 
of  antiquity,  without  informing  themselves  about  them  :  they  talk 
a  great  deal  about  Miracles,  which  happened  centuries  ago,  but 
can  do  none  themselves :  then  some  of  them  marry,  when  mere 
lads,  and  are  a  frightful  expense  to  the  Society,  which  sends 
them  out :  pennies  collected  under  the  influence  of  Prayer  from 
little  children  go  to  maintain  Homes  to  bring  up  Missionary 
children  in  a  position  of  life  above  that  of  their  parents :  then 
some  are  always  coming  home  :  some  throw  up  the  service  of 
the  Lord,  just  when  it  suits  them  :  a  sick  wife,  a  sick  child,  a 
snug  bit  of  Church-preferment  at  home  :  there  is  a  want  of  life- 
consecration  :  there  is  not  the  same  amount  of  devotion  to  the 
Service,  the  Service  of  Christ,  which  a  Soldier,  or  a  Civil  Officer 
of  the  State,  gives  gladly  to  the  Service  of  his  Queen.  Some  of 
them  appeal  to  the  Arm  of  the  Flesh,  and  invoke  Treaty- 
rights,  and  gunboats,  and  get  meetings  to  urge  expeditions, 
protectorates,  annexations,  on  an  unwilling  Government.  A 
good  deal  of  this  is  true,  and  nobody  denounces  these  mistakes 
more  pertinaciously  than  I  do.  But  there  is  a  strong  side  also  : 
there  have  been  wise  men,  to  balance  the  fools  :  humble  men 
as  an  equipoise  to  the  proud  ones,  men  who  have  given  their 
lives  to  the  cause,  who  have  lived  in  poverty  and  suffering,  and 
worked  what  we  might  call  miracles  in  the  change  of  the  feelings 
of  their  people.  Read  the  live§  of  Bishop  Steere  of  Equatorial 
Africa,  and  Bishop  Patteson  of  Melanesia :  read  on  your  knees 
the  lives  of  Carey,  of  Judson,  of  Saker,  of  Livingstone  :  men  of 
very  different  theological  views,  very  diverse  gifts,  men  who 
never  met,  and  perhaps  would  never  have  cared  to  meet  each 
other,  and  yet  we,  from  our  point  of  view,  can  note  their  strong 
resemblance.  There  are  lives  still  to  be  written.  I  have  seen 
many  men  pass  away  before  me  into  another  world,  whose  names 
are  now  mentioned  even  as  Saints,  and  Confessors,  and  there 
are  men  of  the  same  type  still  moving  in  our  midst,  to  whom  the 
next  generation  will  tender  the  same  honour.  Last  Monday, 
(the  13th  August,  1888),  1  presided  at  the  General  Meeting  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and  we  had  to  take  leave  of  the 
venerable  Bishop  Sargent  of  South  India,  who  was  returning  to 
his  people,  and  his  converts,  and  his  adopted  children,  to  die 
among  them.  As  he  entered  the  room,  the  whole  assembly  rose  : 
it  was  the  same  greeting,  which  was  awarded  by  the  Roman 
Senate  to  a  great  Proconsul,  when  he  returned  to  Rome,  laden 


(    98     ) 

with  the  spoils  of  the  East,  trophies  won  from  the  Parthians  and 
the  Medes,  and  the  dwellers  of  Mesopotamia.  When  he  had 
seated  himself  (for  he  was  too  weak  to  stand),  I  told  him  in  the 
name  of  the  Committee,  that  we  welcomed  him,  as  one  of  our 
oldest,  most  faithful,  and  beloved  friends.  His  words  were  few  : 
he  told  us,  that  during  the  fifty  years  of  his  Service  the  Lord  had 
never  failed  him,  that  all  His  dealings  had  been  kind  and  wise, 
that  he  felt  the  infirmities  of  the  flesh  coming  upon  him,  and  he 
wished  to  return  to  his  people.  One  of  our  ordained  Members 
committed  him  to  God  in  tender  words  of  earnest  prayer,  and 
the  good  man  gave  us  his  Episcopal  blessing,  and  left  us, 
sorrowing  that  we  should  see  his  dear  face  no  more.  Am  I  not 
right  in  saying,  that  there  is  a  strong  side  to  Missions  also  } 
How  small  seem  the  services  of  Generals,  and  Governors,  com- 
pared to  the  life-devotion  of  this  great  and  good  man  !  He  went 
to  India  five  years  before  I  went,  and  he  is  there  still.  He  has 
accumulated  no  competence,  carried  off"  no  ephemeral  honours, 
but  his  life  is  an  additional  proof  of  my  argument,  that  Christ 
is  the  Power  of  God  unto  Salvation,  both  to  the  people  amidst 
whom  he  laboured,  and  to  himself. 

A  secular  newspaper,  not  much  given  to  Missions,  writes  thus  : 

The  plain  truth  about  modern  Missionary-work  we  believe  to  be  this.  It 
has  become  a  profession,  a  most  noble  and  very  successful  profession,  and,  like 
every  other  profession,  has  drawn  to  itself  men  of  all  kinds,  of  whom  a  large 
majority  are  qualified  by  inner  disposition  for  its  duties.  At  an  expense  of 
about  a  million  a  year,  the  Protestant  Churches  send  out  to  most  parts  of  the 
Heathen,  and  some  parts  of  the  Mahometan  world,  a  perpetually  renewed  force 
of  men  and  women,  to  teach  to  those,  who  know  them  not,  Christianity  and 
civilization.  These  men  and  women  are  of  all  sorts,  some  unfit,  one  or  two  in 
a  thousand  hopelessly  unfit,  a  ifw  fit  to  a  degree  no  words  of  ours  will 
adequately  describe,  but  a  majority  well  qualified  in  extremely  varied  ways  for 
the  burdensome  duty  they  have  to  perform.  Many  are  teachers,  many  preachers, 
many  scholars,  many  born  rulers  of  men  ;  but  in  all,  except  a  very  few,  there 
is  one  quality  rare  in  any  other  profession,  absolute  devotion  to  the  work  to  be 
done.  How  is  it  possible  for  Christians  of  any  sort  to  condemn  such  a  profession 
with  such  results,  we  can  no  more  conceive  than  we  can  conceive  how  a 
Christian  Church  can  be  fully  alive,  yet  never  wish  to  proselytize. 

Then  the  process  is  very  slow  :  the  pace,  at  which  conversion 
proceeds,  is  very  funereal :  there  are  many  insincere  converts, 
many  relapses  :  we  sometimes  hear,  that  nominal  Christians  still 
steal  away  to  a  secret  place  in  the  mountains,  and  make  offerings 
to  the  spirits  of  their  ancestors,  as  they  were  once  accustomed  to 
do.  The  number  of  Missionaries  has  greatly  increased.  Some 
selections  have  been  very  unhappy :  the  best  have  often  died : 
the  worst  survive :  they  do  not  all  come  up  to  the  ideal  of  St. 
Paul,  or  of  the  Nestorians,  or  Columba  of  lona,  or  Xavier,  or 
the  Moravians  :  the  reply  is,  that  the  externals  of  men  are  very 
much  as  the  age,  in  which  they  live,  and  their  social  environment 
makes  them :  they  may  be  better  suited  for  the  requirements  of 


■       (     99     ) 

this  period  than  St.  Paul  or  Columba  would  have  been ;  at  any 
rate  they  are  as  good,  and,  in  my  opinion,  a  good  deal  better 
than  the  secular  men  of  their  own  epoch  in  the  same  strata  of 
life :  as  a  body  they  are  free  from  the  vulgar  vices,  and  cruelty, 
and  covetousness :  admitting  the  necessity  of  sending  Mission- 
aries full  of  ardour,  free  from  mercantile  motives,  strong  in 
health,  determined  in  character,  I  doubt,  whether  they  are  not 
fair  representatives  of  the  energy  of  their  country. 

V.  Let  me  now  draw  attention  to  the  Power  of  Christian  Faith,  where 
nothing  else  would  succeed. 

This  is  a  bold  challenge.  Take  the  case  of  putting  a  stop  to 
Slave-holding  and  arresting  Slave-dealing.  What  but  the  strong 
Christian  influence  would  have  done  it,  and  who,  but  IMis- 
sionaries,  would  have  supplied  the  facts  about  Slave-dealing, 
and  been  foremost  in  the  conflict  ?  The  Christian  Mission  is 
the  complement  of  the  Slavery-Abolition-Society  :  the  two  make 
one  power.     Sierra  Leone  and  Zanzibar  are  proofs  of  this. 

For  when  a  Slave-ship  is  captured,  to  whom,  but  the  Mis- 
sionary, can  the  released  starving  creatures  be  made  over  }  We 
have  numerous  accounts  of  this  holy  work  from  men  of  very 
difterent  type,  unable  to  act  together  on  any  other  conceivable 
subject,  the  High  Church  Party  of  the  Church  of  England,  and 
the  Society  of  Friends,  and  in  this  blessed  work  they  are  as  one 
man.  It  makes  one  proud  of  our  Human  Brotherhood,  to  think 
of  our  Brothers  and  Sisters,  day  by  day,  in  a  bad  climate,  and 
most  uncongenial  surroundings,  giving  themselves  up  to  the 
feeding,  clothing,  and  training,  of  the  Negro,  bearing  with  their 
unsavoury  smell,  and  gross  habits,  leading  them  onwards.  When 
does  the  Anglo-Saxon  appear  at  a  higher  level  of  human  great- 
ness than  on  such  occasions  .^  But,  nothing  but  Grace  gives 
the  Power.     What  by  himself  could  the  worldly  man  do  } 

The  impulses  of  humanity  and  benevolence  are  laudable,  and 
have  led  to  laudable  results  :  but  they  are  not  sure  to  be  lasting, 
nor  have  they  poiver  in  themselves.  Obedience  to  the  will  of 
God  is  the  Christian's  motive,  and  brings  with  it  a  power  to 
secure  continuousness  of  action.  Moreover,  when  benevolence 
has  done  its  work  to  a  Savage  race,  what  guarantee  is  there, 
that  it  will  so  remain,  unless  there  has  been  implanted  in  their 
hearts  a  desire  to  do  the  will  of  God  }  Take  the  case  of  Sierra 
Leone  :  there  were  fifteen  hundred  slaves  landed  by  cruisers, 
speaking  scores  of  different  languages :  filthy,  abominable, 
unmanageable.  William  Johnson,  by  his  Christian  kindness, 
formed  them  into  a  congregation,  made  them  useful  and 
respectable  citizens.  The  Civil  Governor  in  reporting  this 
remarked  :  "  The  hand  of  Heaven  is  on  this."  It  was  a  memorial 
of  good  wrought  by  one  man,  through  the  interposition  of  the 
Almighty. 


(       100      ) 

But  how  is  the  work  set  about  ?  How  does  the  man  of  God 
commence  his  magic  work  ?  Read  one  sample :  it  is  an  echo 
from  the  savages  of  Melanesia,  recorded  by  one,  who  gave  his 
life  for  his  flock  :  and  no  one  dreamt  of  avenging  him,  for  he 
had  followed  the  steps  of  his  Master,  even  unto  death  : 

Then  comes  the  task,  that  you  too  may  experience,  when  dealing  with  some 
neglected  child  in  England,  but  which  under  the  cocoa-nut  tree,  with  dark 
naked  men,  have  a  special  impressiveness.  It  was  the  old  lesson  of  the  Eternal 
and  Universal  Father,  who  has  not  left  himself  without  witness,  in  that  He  gives 
us  rain  from  heaven  :  and  our  ingratitude,  and  His  love  :  of  His  coming  down 
to  point  out  the  way  of  life,  and  of  His  death  and  rising  again,  of  another 
World,  Resurrection  and  Judgment.  All  interrupted  now  and  then  by 
exclamations  of  surprise,  laughter,  or  by  some  one  beginning  to  talk  about 
something,  that  jarred  sadly  on  one's  ear. 

But  civilization  has  its  troubles  and  dangers  as  well  as  the 
the  savagery  of  Melanesia :  let  us  consider  the  piteous  position 
of  the  young  man  in  India.  Secular  Education  at  the  Govern- 
ment-School has  destroyed  his  faith  in  a  false  Religion,  and  set 
him  on  a  higher  walk  in  life  :  but  he  is  out  of  rapport  with  the  old 
folks  at  home.  He  feels  a  profound  contempt  for  all,  that  his 
Father  holds  dear,  and  for  the  old  Village-Priest :  he  is  ashamed 
of  the  idols,  shocked  at  the  indecent  stories,  disgusted  at  the  folly, 
and  heartbroken  at  the  lies ;  but  he  does  not  like  to  vex  his  Parents. 
The  world  seems  a  hopeless  tangle,  till  he  some  day  meets  a 
Missionary,  who  tells  him  the  simple  tale :  all  then  seems  clear, 
his  doubts  vanish  and  his  hopes  revive :  he  tries  to  believe :  if 
he  could  but  believe,  he  would  be  a  happy  man.  That  power 
of  belief  comes  from  God,  and  at  the  hour,  and  in  the  manner 
pre-ordained.  Only  believe,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you 
according  to  your  belief. 

The  rite  of  Baptism  and  the  Chapel  are  but  the  outward  signs 
of  the  work  of  the  Mission,  for  they  become  the  centre  of  gentle 
influences.  The  lessons  of  morality  are  taught :  the  Bible  in 
the  Vernacular,  like  a  bright  light,  illuminates  dark  corners  : 
quarrels  are  settled  by  umpires  without  fighting:  the  idea  of  a 
compromise  with  mutual  advantage,  and  reciprocal  concessions, 
is  a  new  one.  We  read  of  a  Missionary  visiting  a  robber-band 
in  their  lair,  and  bringing  them  back  to  decent  lives.  Another 
young  Missionary  walked  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles  alone, 
without  arms,  to  redeem  some  poor  native  converts  from  bandits. 
A  feat  such  as  that  would  have  received  the  Victoria-Cross,  had 
it  been  done  by  a  Soldier.  The  Soldier  of  Christ  rejoices  in  no 
Cross,  but  that  of  Christ  and  Him  crucified,  and  in  serving  Him 
has  his  exceeding  great  reward.  The  power  of  God  still 
performs  miracles.  The  Missionary  finds  nobility  of  character 
in  the  converted  Cannibal,  and  the  Heathen  Priest,  and  Sorcerer, 
forgetting  their  evil  ways,  become  humble  worshippers  in  the 
Chapel :  the  murder  of  little  children  is  discontinued,  and  women 


.    (       lOl       ) 

are  elevated  to  a  proper  position,  as  helpmates  of  men.      It  is 
the  Lord's  doing.     It  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes.     If  the  facts  are 
doubted,  test  them  :    if  the  facts  are  admitted,  admit  also,  that 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  still  dwells  in  the  tents  of  Men. 
VI.  Consider  the  grandeur  of  the  human  character  developed. 

One  of  the  greatest  sources  of  wealth  of  a  Nation  is  its  share 
of  great  qualities:  self-consecration,  dauntless  valour,  high 
aspirations,  noble  unselfishness,  absence  of  greed,  or  pride, 
efTacement  of  self:  these  things  ennoble  a  family,  one  member 
of  which  possesses  some  of  them.  This  is  the  true  nobility: 
where  can  these  qualities  be  found  in  such  abundance  and 
brightness  as  in  the  Missionary  band  ?  They  are  the  leaven  of 
the  whole  nation.  Such  gifts  come  direct  from  God.  Some 
have  laid  all  their  literary  ambition,  and  pursuits,  all  their 
scientific  attainments,  all  their  laborious  hours,  all  their  social 
success,  upon  His  Altar,  forgetting  all  in  Christ,  counting  all  loss 
for  Christ.  If  Stephen  set  the  example  of  the  way,  in  which  a 
Christian  should  give  up  his  life,  Paul  taught  us  the  harder  task 
of  keeping  it,  accompanied  with  a  sacrifice  of  the  whole,  living 
only  by  Faith  :  and  he  has  been  followed-  by  many,  who  deemed 
it  not  lawful  to  spend  their  few  years  in  any  pursuit,  however 
noble,  which  fell  short  of  the  highest,  f/ie  Sailing  of  Souls :  who 
felt,  that  eloquence  was  only  given  to  win  and  sway  an  audience 
for  one  definite  object,  that  the  pen  had  but  one  sole  and  inspired 
purpose : 

The  great  Chinese  Missionary  Morrison's  desire  to  be  a  Missionary  arose  not 
from  any  strong  excitement,  or  external  influence,  but  from  a  calm,  deliberate, 
review  of  the  state  of  the  Heathen,  and  his  oivn  obligation  to  His  07vn  Lord  and 
Saz'iour.  Duty  was  his  Pole-star  ;  the  burden  of  his  prayer  was,  that  God 
would  station  him  in  that  part  of  the  Field,  where  the  difficulties  were  greatest, 
and  to  all  human  appearance  the  most  unsurmountable. 

Such  a  man  would  under  other  circumstances  lead  a  forlorn 
hope,  or  take  out  a  life-boat  to  save  sinking  ships.  Great 
Britain  cannot  spare  the  delevopment  of  such  characters.  Her 
greatness  must  be  an  all-round  greatness.  In  after-ages  her 
reputation  will  rest  as  much  upon  her  Missionaries,  as  on  her 
Soldiers  and  Sailors.  The  Queen's  army  is  numerically  smaller 
than  any  one  of  the  great  Continental  armies.  Christ's  army, 
recruited  in  Protestant  Great  Britain  and  its  Colonies,  exceeds 
in  number  all  the  IMissionary  armies  of  the  world  collected 
together,  and  the  allied  army  of  the  same  race  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Atlantic  is  next  to  it  in  number,  and  united,  as  one  man, 
in  purpose. 

VII.  And  what  a  field  of  aspiration  does  it  afford  to  the  youth  of  Great 
Britain,  male  and  female  ? 

There  is  a  danger  in  a  great,  and  strong,  and  rich,  nation  settling 
down  on  its  lees,  and  being  content,  like  the  rich  man  in  the 


(       102       ) 

parable,  to  eat  and  drink,  and  worship  the  poor  body :  some  nobler 
spirits  sigh  for  a  career,  a  wider  space,  in  which  they  can  spread 
their  wings,  and  a  purer  atmosphere.  Time  is  for  work  :  eternity 
for  rest.  Sometimes  there  comes  a  breeze  from  a  far-oflf  country, 
calHng  those,  who  are  weary  of  the  dull  routine  of  Europe,  to  come 
out.  Some  one  whispers  in  their  ear,  that  a  corner  in  God's  vine- 
yard has  by  them  to  be  tilled,  and  by  each  and  all  there  is  a  Mission 
to  be  fulfilled.  Is  it  nothing-worth  to  conceive  in  your  youth 
a  great  Idea,  which  will  accompany  you  through  manhood, 
through  decline  of  life,  to  the  grave  ?  The  great  work  of  the 
Hebrew  Prophets  was,  that  they  established  an  Ideal  form  of 
Faith,  Holiness,  and  Self-sacrifice,  leaving  it  to  future  years  to 
work  up  to  it.  The  great  Masters  of  Greek  and  Latin  song 
caught  up  the  refrain  of  their  Semitic  cousins  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Mediterranean,  and  sent  it,  as  their  great  inexhaustible 
legacy,  down  the  corridors  of  centuries  into  our  Schools  and 
Colleges,  electrifying  each  generation,  as  it  sprang  into  conscious- 
ness of  its  own  powers,  and  therefore  of  its  own  duties.  Whence 
did  they  get  the  idea,  shadowed  in  the  story  of  Ulysses,  of 
Prometheus,  of  ^neas,  an  ideal  of  something  to  be  striven  for, 
suffered  for,  bought  at  a  great  personal  price,  the  striving  for 
which  satisfied  even  if  not  attained  ?  And  by  the  far-off  Sanskrit 
Poets  the  idea  had  been  conceived  of  working  for  the  Work's 
sake,  and  never  for  the  mere  results  of  the  work.  Thus  Labour  is 
honoured,  and  nothing  is  below  the  dignity  of  a  true  man.  Such 
thoughts  ennoble  a  nature,  and,  when  directed  in  the  highest  of 
all  channels,  sanctify  it.  After  all,  it  is  a  good  God  that  governs 
the  world  :  we  cannot  find  out  His  ways  :  but  we  feel,  that  He  is 
leading  us.  Roads  are  cut  across  countries  previously  un- 
traversed  :  paths  are  found  in  the  pathless  ocean  :  doors  long 
shut  are  thrown  open :  opportunities  exceed  all  expectations : 
the  thousand  voices  are  heard  of  tribes  secluded  for  ages  in 
sealed  gardens :  and  the  youth  of  Great  Britain,  sated  with  vulgar 
joys,  seeks  a  nobler  sphere  of  action  than  that,  with  which  their 
Fathers  were  satisfied.  Men  and  women  are  wanted  everywhere 
to  .exhibit  Christianity  in  its  practical  form,  not  of  dogma,  or 
ritual,  or  Psalm-singing,  but  of  actual  life.  Hear  what  Bishop 
Patteson  said  : 

Men  are  needed,  who  have  a  strongreligious  common  sense  to  adapt  Christianity 
to  the  various  tribes  without  compromising  any  doctrines  or  principle  of  conduct  : 
men  who  can  see  in  the  midst  of  the  errors  and  superstitions  of  a  people,  what- 
ever fragments  of  truth,  or  symptoms  of  a  yearning  after  something  better,  may 
exist  in  them,  and  make  that  the  />oint  d^apptii,  upon  which  they  may  build  up 
the  structure  of  Christian  teaching.' 

How  shall  I  try  to  teach  them  to  become  industrious,  persevering,  honest, 
tidy,  clean,  careful  with  children,  and  all  the  rest  of  it  ?  What  a  different  thing 
from  going  about  and  teaching  the  first  principles  of  Christianity  !  The  secoivd 
stage  of  the  Mission  is  the  difficult  one. 


(     ^03     ) 

I  heard  a  Bishop  this  year  at  an  annual  meeting  tell  us  how  a 
Missionary  on  his  furlough  took  lessons  in  thatching  houses,  to 
give  his  people  better  ideas  on  this  practical  subject.  I  read  of 
another  IBishop  in  his  Diocese  seated  on  the  ground,  and  shewing 
the  way  to  plait  grass  for  thatching.  JNot  that  there  is  any  merit 
in  the  act  itself,  but  the  spirit  is  the  one,  which  should  actuate  all, 
of  bringing  to  the  Lord's  service  whatever  gifts  they  had  received 
of  Him. 

VIII.  The  advantage  of  a  Christian  civiHzation. 

Would  any  one  wish,  that  all  the  dawning  civilizations  of  Asia, 
Africa,  and  Oceania  should  be  Heathen  and  Mahometan  ;  not  the 
good  old  Heathendom  of  Horace,  and  Maecenas,  and  the  Emperor 
Augustus,  but  the  compound  Heathendom  of  the  indigenous 
vices  of  these  abject  races  mixed  with  the  poison  of  a  corrupt  and 
fallen  Christianity.  If  the  leaven  of  the  Gospel  is  not  in  the  new 
Civilization,  in  what  hideous  form  will  it  develope  ?  I  read  how 
shipwrecked  mariners  have  been  carefully  cared  for,  where  the 
islanders  are  Christians :  they  would  certainly  have  been  devoured, 
a  few  years  earlier.  The  Special  Commissioner  of  New  Guinea 
reports,  that  the  Polynesian  Native  Teachers  gain  an  ascendency 
over  the  savage  Papuans,  and  it  is  to  them,  that  f/ie  white  man  in 
dijfiadties  ahvays  hints  for  protection,  and  it  is  always  accorded  to  him. 
Such  facts  ought  to  bring  home  to  us  certain  convictions,  that  in 
this  world  also  Christianity  is  profitable,  and  that  without  it 
Civilization  is  dangerous.     Hear  what  experienced  men  tell  us : 

No  hindrance  was  so  great  to  the  success  of  the  early  Missionary  as  the 
notion  of  beginning  with  Civilization,  instead  of  Heart-conversion :  our  first 
and  constant  business  must  be  to  tell  the  people  of  Sin,  and  of  a  Saviour  from 
Sin. 

And  again : 

Missionary  Societies  had  not  then  (1806)  the  experience  we  now  possess,  and 
had  not  yet  so  fully  learnt,  that,  however  valuable  Civilization  is,  as  a  hand-maid 
to  Evangelization,  it  is  in  itself  but  of  little  value  as  a  forerunner,  and  that  the 
simple  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  Salvation. 

And  again : 

It  was  the  increasing  conviction  of  all  the  Missionaries,  that  the  plan  of 
gradual  approaches  by  means  of  Civilization  had  been  tried  long  enough,  and 
that  the  citadel  must  be  stormed  at  once  with  the  weapons  of  God's  own 
armoury:  in  short,  that  Evaitqelization  must  talce  p7-ecedence  of  any  attempt  to 
improve  the  social  condition  0/  the  people ;  they  were  much  hindered  by  their  secular 
employment. 

And  again  : 

It  was  his  impression,  as  he  drew  near  the  close  of  his  life,  that  he  had  given 
an  undue  proportion  of  time  and  strength  to  merely  civilizing  influences,  and  the 
material  prosperity  of  the  people.  This  may  account  in  part  for  their  spiritual 
weakness,  when  the  supportmg  hand  of  their  pastor  has  been  withdrawn.  How 
slow  we  are  to  learn,  that  Civilization  is  a  blessing  to  a  barbarous  people  07ily  as 
it  is  permeated  by  the  spirit  and  power  of  the  Gospel ! 


(     104    ) 

I  cannot  divest  myself  of  the  feeling,  that  I  have  two  in 
dividualities :  the  one  that  of  a  Christian  Statesman,  who  can 
tolerate  no  injustice  being  done  to  an  inferior  race,  because  they 
are  not  Christians,  and  who  is  ever  ready  to  combat  any  fictitious 
cry,  any  craze  of  the  moment,  any  intolerable  humbug  and 
delusion  :  the  other  that  of  a  humble  believer,  who  places  the 
conversion  of  Souls  to  Christ,  as  the  one  object  of  existence,  the 
sole  goal  of  every  talent,  every  opportunity,  ever}'  life  :  this 
feeling  makes  me  honour,  as  an  angel  from  heaven,  the  Missionary 
indeed,  and  spurn  the  mere  hireling,  the  mere  semblance  of  an 
unrealized  vocation,  the  false  reflection,  as  in  a  glass,  of  an  ideal 
consecration. 

I  have  no  space  to  record  the  opinions  of  Viceroys,  and 
Governors,  and  Ambassadors,  of  Scholars,  of  Natives  of  India 
and  Japan,  of  Public  Officials,  as  to  the  enduring  blessings, 
conferred  on  the  people  of  a  Country  by  Missionaries :  the 
germs  of  Public  Instruction,  a  pure  literature,  the  influence  of 
upright  and  unselfish  characters,  are  part,  and  part  only,  of  the 
benefit  conferred.  We  are  much  safer  in  doing  our  Duty  than 
neglecting  it,  and  many  of  us  have  had  it  revealed  to  our 
consciences,  that  this  is  our  Duty,  and  that,  as  the  harvest  time 
is  short,  we  should  not  lose  an  opportunity.  Intelligent  people 
can  hardly  repeat  the  Lord's  Prayer  without  giving  some 
meaning  to  "Thy  Kingdom  come"  :  it  must  mean  "the  spread 
of  His  Gospel."  We  do  indeed  feel  human  pity  for  all  these 
Heathen  races,  and  we  can  therefore  in  full  confidence  convey 
to  them  the  message  of  Divine  Pity.  Experience  has  convinced 
us,  that  the  Divine  Presence  is  still  very  near  to  us,  and  that 
even  if  we  for  argument's  sake  set  aside  the  truth  of  the  IMiracles,- 
no  other  form  of  belief  is  clothed  in  so  magical,  so  touching,  so 
profitable,  so  simple,  an  external  form  as  the  Life  of  Christ. 
Infinite  Love,  inexhaustible  Pity,  undying  Hope,  seem  to  have 
been  the  only  instruments,  which  could  have  any  eff"ect.  Some 
have  come  out  of  darkness  per  salium  into  a  marvellous  light, 
without  struggle,  without  a  cloud  of  doubt,  accepting  the 
message.  We  seem  carried  back  three  thousand  years  in  the 
history  of  mankind,  when  we  come  in  contact  with  the  un- 
sophisticated races :  we  can  take  them  at  once  to  the  pure 
fountain  of  Christian  Truth,  free  from  the  Philosophy  of  the 
Greeks,  the  Law  and  Order  of  the  Romans,  the  Superstition  of 
the  Teutons.  Of  all  the  wonderful  mouldings  of  our  Civilization 
by  the  discipline  of  centuries  they  knew  nothing :  had  we  never 
come  into  contact  with  them,  we  might  have  passed  them  by : 
but  irresistible  destiny  has  brought  them  within  the  influence  of 
our  Poison.    Shall  we  withhold  the  Antidote  } 

Eastbourne,  August  15,  1888. 


(     105    ) 


XL 

THOUGHTS     ON     THE     METHODS     OF 
EVANGELIZATION. 

There  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit,  and  there  are  differences  of 
administrations,  but  the  same  Lord,  and  there  are  diversities  of  operations,  but 
it  is  the  same  God,  which  worketh  all  in  all. — I.  Cor.  xii.  4-6. 

I  AM  led  to  reflect  upon  the  phenomena,  presented  by  a  survey 
of  the  Missions  of  the  World.  It  is  so  strange  to  find  men 
convinced,  that  their  own  system  is  not  only  the  right  one,  and 
the  best  (the  best  for  them  no  doubt),  hul  the  only  one,  and  yet  there 
is  an  extraordinary,  a  startling,  diversity  of  practice.  In  some 
Associations  the  Missionary  is  petted,  spoilt,  encouraged  to 
early  matrimony,  involving  wanton  expenditure  of  sacred  funds : 
in  others  I  find  the  celibate  Brotherhoods  and  Sisterhoods,  with 
the  germs  of  great  evils  of  a  contrary  tendency.  In  other 
quarters  I  find  the  Missionary,  wife,  and  little  children,  turned  off 
in  a  strange  country,  in  a  tropical  climate,  to  support  themselves 
by  labour,  such  as  teaching  languages,  keeping  a  store,  digging 
yams  and  potatoes,  or,  as  an  American  paper  bluntly  puts  it : 
"  Root,  Hog,  or  die,"  and  they  do  die,  and,  when  an  additional 
baby  is  born,  it  is  counted  as  an  additional  Missionary. 
Another  strange  variety  is  the  Knight-errant,  without  even  a 
knowledge  of  the  language,  starting  alone  on  a  camel,  or  horse, 
to  deliver  God's  message  through  an  interpreter,  himself  a 
heathen,  and  then  passing  on.  The  large  Associations  have 
large  resources,  collected  at  a  heavy  percentage  by  an  elaborate 
organization  :  they  spend  money  freely,  and  send  out  men  freely, 
often  unsanctified,  and  untested  men,  and  sometimes  gross  failures. 
Sometimes  Missionaries  are  tied  to  a  shibboleth  of  dogma,  and 
a  confession  of  Church-Government :  at  other  times  there  is  an 
amalgam  of  dogma,  and  a  free-hand  of  Church-Government. 
Some  allow  their  agents  fixed  subsistence-allowances,  and  subsi- 
diary provision  for  Rent,  Locomotion,  Disablement,  and  Children. 
Others  make  a  boast,  that  they  do  not,  that  the  Missionary  must 


(     106     ) 

make  his  own  private  resources  go  as  far  as  possible,  and  that 
he  will  get  a  fractional  portion  of  the  income  of  the  Society, 
varying  each  year,  and  nothing  of  any  kind  to  fall  back  upon. 

The  most  depressing  thought  is,  that  of  the  vast  sums  spent 
in  Secretaries,  Clerks,  Warehouses,  postage  and  parcels.  Station- 
ery, Printing,  Rent,  first-class  Steamer  and  Railway-fares,  and 
the  needlessly  liberal  way,  in  which  such  charges  are  incurred, 
because  a  great  Society  pays  foj-  the?n.  My  thoughts  go  back  to 
the  sums,  collected  at  Corinth  for  the  poor  Saints  at  Jerusalem, 
and  Paul,  the  poor  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  conveying  it  in  the  open 
undecked  vessel  of  that  period.  I  remember  his  tender  advice 
to  have  the  collections  made  in  advance,  and  fancy  conjures  up 
the  image  of  the  earthen  pot,  or  wooden  casket,  filled  with 
denarii  and  sestertia,  bearing  the  image  of  one  of  the  early 
Caesars,  which  was  reverently  consigned  to  him,  and  my  heart 
sinks  within  me  at  the  thought  of  the  frightfully  complicated 
organizations  forced  upon  us  by  the  19th  century,  the  flogging 
of  the  congregations  to  get  at  their  money,  and  the  men,  like 
Judas,  going  about  holding  the  bag.  Happy  are  those,  whose 
admitted  poverty  enables  them  to  laugh  at  the  bag,  pushed 
under  their  nose,  and  happier  still  those,  who  have,  at  the 
beginning  of  each  year,  set  apart  the  proper  proportion  of  their 
Income,  and  been  cheerful  givers  to  the  Lord,  who  bought  them, 
and  made  their  contribution  in  advance.  IMy  remarks  may  seem 
cynical,  but  they  are  offered  in  good  faith,  and  with  a  certain 
amount  of  experience.     Let  us  think  out  the  subject. 

L  The  simplest  expression  of  a  Missionary  is,  that  of  a  person 
of  either  sex,  or  accompanied  by  one  or  more  fellow-labourers, 
who  goes  out  at  his,  or  her,  own  charge,  subject  to  no  external- 
control,  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  a  non-Christian  population. 
Should  funds  be  collected  by  friends,  in  aid,  there  are  no 
accounts  published.   This  is  what  some  call  a  "  Faith-INIission." 

IL  When  several  such  individuals  unite,  and  have  all  things 
in  common,  and  bind  themselves  by  certain  Rules,  they  form  a 
"Sisterhood"  or  "Brotherhood."  Should  accounts  be  kept, 
they  are  not  published,  as  the  concern  is  a  private  one. 

in.  The  next  stage  is  an  organized  Association  of  contributors 
to  a  Fund,  controlled  by  a  Committee,  which  is  annually  elected 
out  of  the  body,  and  is  empowered  by  the  Rules  of  the  Association 
to  select  Agents,  send  them  out,  support  them  while  out,  and 
recall  them  at  pleasure.  This  is  a  "  Missionary  Society."  In 
its  fullest  development,  such  a  Committee  trains  Students, 
selects  suitable  Mission-Fields,  provides  for  sick  and  disabled 
Agents,  and  the  children  of  all  Agents,  and  is  responsible  to  no 
one,  but  its  constituents,  duly  assembled  in  General  Meetings, 
to  whom  it  renders  accounts,  and  full  reports  of  work  done,  and 
whose  order  it  must  obey  on  penalty  of  being  superseded. 


(     107    ) 

IV.  When  the  Association  comprises  the  whole  body  of 
Christians  of  a  particular  denomination,  who  have  formed  them- 
selves into  a  corporation  of  a  so-called  "  Church,"  Missionary 
work  is  then  said  to  be  conducted  by  the  Church.  This  is  only 
possible,  when  there  is  a  fixed  confession  of  Faith,  without 
diverging  shades  of  theological  opinion  within  the  Church.  In 
the  case  of  a  National  Church,  like  the  Church  of  England,  it  is 
impossible. 

V.  Missionary  Societies  have  satellites,  independent  in 
organization,  but  formed  solely  to  co-operate.  Such  Societies 
are  called  Home-Aids,  or  Foreign- Aids,  according  to  the  work 
which  they  undertake:  "Special-Aids,"  if  they  are  satellites  to 
one  Society  only,  or  "  General  Aids,"  if  they  are  satellites  to 
several  Societies.  Some  of  these  Aid-Societies  have  excep- 
tionally a  double  position,  as  Satellites  to  other  Societies,  and 
doing  independent  foreign  work  of  their  own.  These  Societies 
do  the  Woman's  Work,  Medical  Work,  Training  Work,  Mis- 
cellaneous Work,  and  Publishing  Work  of  other  Societies,  and 
are  of  exceedingly  great  importance. 

VI.  Associations,  which,  admit  members  of  all  Protestant 
Denominations,  are  called  Catholic  or  Undenominational. 

I  will  now  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  first  three  developments  : 
I.  The  "  Faith  Mission  "  is  sometimes  irreverently  called  the 
"Vagabond  Mission,"  or  the  "  Free  Lance."  It  is  one  of  those 
enterprizes,  of  which  no  thoughtful  man  can  approve,  but  which 
no  God-fearing  man  will  oppose,  lest  haply  he  should  be  found 
fighting  against  God.  God's  wisdom,  and  man's  unwisdom,  rule 
the  world.  We  dare  not  check  the  noble  flame  :  we  would  wish 
to  guide  it.  The  consecration  of  life  and  talents  and  fortune  in 
early  youth :  the  laying  of  oneself  down  upon  the  Altar,  and 
crying  out,  "  Lord,  make  use  of  Thy  poor  creature,  as  Thou 
thinkest  best."  Such  things  as  these  cannot  be  despised.  There 
is  something  in  them  of  the  ancient  Roman,  purified  by  Christian 
Love.  Many  go  abroad  in  their  youth  and  strength  to  hunt  in 
Abyssinia,  to  collect  shells  in  the  Indian  Archipelago,  or  to 
develope  new  Commerce  in  Africa.  Why  not  do  so  to  get  at 
the  poor  derelict  of  the  human  race  ?  If  life  be  not  spared, 
then  to  be  with  Christ  is  far  better.  If  life  be  spared,  what 
a  gloomy  retrospect  in  old  age  to  have  done  nothing  for  one's 
fellow-creatures ! 

My  own  final  judgment  is,  that  the  fight  can  only  be  carried 
on  with  great  battalions,  and  that  it  is  folly  for  a  small  weak 
Society,  or  a  single  individual,  without  permanent  resources,  to 
start  an  enterprise,  which  will  not  be  lasting.  A  Missionary 
Association  must  have  behind  it  a  Church,  with  scores  of  congre- 
gations to  supply  the  sinews  of  war  :  a  Committee,  which  never 
dies :    a  purse  as  unlimited,  and  bottomless,  as  the  Lord's  own 


(     io8     ) 

Treasure-house.  Plants  feeble  in  nature  die  without  culture. 
All  individuals,  and  small  Associations,  should  affiliate  them- 
selves to  strong  and  robust  Societies. 

I  give  some  extracts  to  exhibit  this  new  departure : 

We  believe  that,  if  we  do  the  work,  which  God  has  called  us  to.  He  will 
move  the  heart  of  His  children  to  supply  the  money.  If  God  sends  out 
workers,  he  will  also  send  supplies.  There  is  no  limit  to  the  measure,  in  which 
God  can  work  on  Christian  hearts  to  move  His  children  to  give  for  those,  who 
have  gone  forth  to  seek  the  Kingdom  of  God.  We  need  8000  Dollars  to  keep 
our  accounts  balanced,  and  we  ask  all  to  pray,  that  these  things  may  be  added 
to  us.     Has  any  Pastor  forgotten  to  take  the  collection? — March,  1888. 

And  again : 

God  never  intended  His  heralds  to  be  hirelings  at  all ;  or  men  with  fixed 
assured  salaries,  as  secular  Servants,  and  Commercial  employes.  The 
Christian  world  has  begotten  a  Missionary  system,  unknown  to  the  Lord,  and 
His  Apostles.  We  look  in  vain  in  the  New  Testament  for  any  authority  for 
what  we  see  on  every  side. — 1887. 

India  has  fifty  unsalaried  Faith-Missionaries.  I  can  count  over  two  hundred 
in  the  world,  whom  God  feeds,  as  he  does  the  birds,  and  they  have  all  things 
and  abound.  We  are  praying  for  the  means  to  build  a  suitable  home  for 
three  thousand  Rupees.     God  is  with  our  Mission, 

And  again  : 

I  have  been  without  money  since  Saturday,  but  truly  the  Lord  never  has 
failed,  nor  will  fail.  It  is  good  to  be  without  funds,  as  it  is  quite  a  luxury  to 
stand  still,  and  see  the  Salvation  of  the  Lord.  I  feel  less  anxiety  in  having  no 
money  than  in  looking  forward  with  but  little. — 1887. 

Another  report  says :  "  Nothing  in  the  locker."  A  third 
notifies,  that  they  have  left  off  eating  meat,  and  are  content  with 
vegetables.     Again : 

A  brother  in  Christ  sent  word,  that  he  wished  me  to  come,  and  see  him.  I 
went.  He  informed  me,  that  God  had  impressed  him,  that  he  should  send 
out  a  Missionary.  As  I  was  consecrated  to  India,  he  was  satisfied,  that  God 
would  have  him  send  ME.  Accordingly  he  put  the  money  to  cover  all  expenses 
to  India  in  my  hands.  It  now  became  a  matter  of  conscience  between  me  and 
God.  I  felt  that  God  would  have  me  go  to  India,  inasmuch  as  He  had 
provided  the  necessary  funds  unsolicited.  I  praise  God  that  I  am  here.  I 
mean  by  His  Grace  to  do  His  will.  He  sanctifies  me  through  and  through. 
Glory  to  God  !— 1887, 

Again : 

I  am  glad  you  feel  as  I  do  about  paid  Home-Agents.  I  believe,  that  God 
wants  a  larger  number  of  His  children  to  have  a  part  in  the  work,  and  in  this 
way  each  can  do  his  part  without  pay. 

And  again : 

I  have  now  finished  the  second  year  of  sklf-support  :  it  seems  to  me,  that 
the  support  of  my  work  comes  under  the  head  of  Faith  in  God,  and  His  dear 
children, 

N,B. — The  writer,  a  woman-Missionary  in  Africa,  enumerates 
every  kind  of  present  received  by  her :  dollars,  barrels,  clothes, 
corned  meat,  etc,  etc. :  she  adds : 


(     109     ) 

The  dear  Heavenly  Father  has  many  good  children,  and  their  number  is 
rapidly  increasing  :  they  are  planning  for  the  conquest  of  the  world  to  Him, 
whom  we  adore. 

And  again,  from  Liberia,  West  Africa  : 

I  want  ten  acres  of  land  in  the  city.  I  believe  that  I  shall  get  it :  the  King 
tells  me,  that  he  will  build  me  a  house  to  live  in,  and  give  me  a  farm  to  make  a 
living  from,  and  a  boy  (a  slave)  to  wait  upon  me.  I  am  going  to  take  out  six 
or  seven  Missionaries  from-America.  I  will  need  money  of  course  to  pay  their 
way^  and  give  them  a  start,  and  then  I  believe  the  work  will  be  self-supporting. 

Bishop  William  Taylor's  name,  both  in  South  India  and  West 
Africa,  is  so  connected  with  this  elastic  word  Self-Support,  that 
it  is  but  just  to  quote  his  very  words : 

Jesus  forbade  His  disciples  to  take  purse,  or  scrip,  or  extra  coat :  the  labourer 
is  worthy  of  his  meat  :  those  who  preach  the  Gospel,  shall  live  by  the  Gospel. 
And  they  lacked  nothing.  The  iVIaster's  method  is  literally  practicable  and 
adequate  now.  The  dividing-line  betwixt  a  Missionary  Charity,  and  adequate, 
and  reproductive  indigenous  support  for  God's  Ambassador  is,  (i)  To  depend 
entirely  on  native  resources  for  the  support  of  all  our  ministers,  school-teachers 
and  their  families :  (2)  to  welcome  the  co-operation  of  God's  stewards  in 
Christian  countries  for  providing  money  for  our  Transit  and  Building  Fund.  — 
1886. 

These  are  brave  words.  One  of  the  Missionaries,  who  had  had 
three  years  of  the  work,  called  on  me  in  London :  he  would  not 
say  a  word  against  the  man,  or  the  system,  but  he  had  given  it  up, 
and  he  handed  to  me  a  large  bundle  of  American  newspapers. 
I  read  there  of  constant  appeals  for  money  :  large  piles  of 
dollars  made  up,  and  great  liberality  of  supporters  at  home. 
When  I  took  in  the  whole  matter,  1  perceived,  that  the  only 
difference  was,  that  there  was  no  Parent-Committee,  and  no 
organization;  but,  with  that  exception,  this  so- called  Self-support- 
ing Mission  was  supported  by  money,  and  goods  of  all  kind,  sent 
from  America. 

Another  feature  of  an  agricultural  enterprize  is  thus  recorded  : 

The  Government  allowed  the  Missionaries  to  take  land  for  a  plantation, 
employ  the  natives,  and  teach  and  preach  to  their  own  employes.  Agriculture 
was  thus  undertaken,  not  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  the  Mission,  but  to  be 
able  to  evangelize  :  no  profit  anticipated. — 1885. 

A  dangerous  experiment. 

It  is  clear  that  the  "  Faith-Mission  "  has  arisen  as  a  protest 
against  the  extravagance,  want  of  consecration,  and  worldliness 
of  the  salaried  agents  of  the  great  Societies,  who  have  usurped 
somewhat  the  position  of  an  Endowed  Church  Establishment. 

II.  The  Brotherhood  and  Sisterhood  have  developed  them- 
selves as  protests  against  the  really  culpable  conduct  of  Com- 
mittees in  permitting  and  encouraging  Matrimony  of  their  agents 
in  their  tender  years.  Men  with  absolutely  no  resources,  educated 
at  the  expense  of  the  Society,  actually  enter  into  an  engagement 
to  marry  while  /«  statu  pupillari,  and  press  their  claims  to  marry, 


(     no    ) 

perhaps  at  the  age  of  25,  at  a  time  when  their  contemporaries 
the  Soldier,  Sailor,  Lawyer,  Medical  man,  or  Office  Clerk,  never 
dreamt  of  such  a  thing.  It  has  become  a  great  source  of 
opprobrium,  and  has  weighed  down  Societies  with  the  burden  of 
supporting  widows  and  children,  who  ought  never  to  have  existed, 
and  has  consigned  many  poor  young  girls  to  African  and  Indian 
graves.  I  have  for  years  protested  against  it,  but  in  vain.  Be  it 
remembered,  that  the  moral  lapses,  which  have  occurred  to 
dishonour  Missionary  chronicles,  have  arisen  from  widowers  and 
married  men,  and  never  from  celibates.  The  proposed  new 
Order  in  the  Church  of  Brotherhoods  and  Sisterhoods  is  now 
pressed  for  at  Home  and  Abroad,  and  is  actually  in  practice,  and 
there  is  much  to  be  said  in  its  favour.  Sir  Bartle  Frere,  a  close 
observer,  has  recorded  his  opinion  {Indian  Missions,  p.  83) 
strongly  against  this  departure. 

Celibacy  enters  largely  into  the  machinery  of  all  false  creeds  : 
it  springs  from  the  weak,  not  the  strong,  side  of  poor  common 
humanity:  it  is  held  in  high  honour  and  esteem  by  the  vulgar: 
in  mediaeval  legends  it  is  accompanied  by  tales  of  hair-shirts, 
dirt,  and  discomfort :  but  it  fails  everywhere,  because  it  is  at 
variance  with  the  laws  of  Human  Nature.  The  Hindu  Brahman 
has  been  the  most  successful  of  all  Sacerdotal  Bodies,  and  they 
tried  Celibacy,  and  gave  it  up.  The  Jewish  Priesthood,  and 
Prophets,  never  attempted  it.  Not  a  single  Holy  man  in  the  Old 
Testament  practised  it:  if  St.  Paul  practised  it,  he  did  not 
recommend  it.  Among  the  Hindus  Marriage  is  part  of  the 
Programme  of  Human  Life,  and,  if  the  people  are  to  be  acted 
upon,  this  must  be  taken  into  account.  Celibacy,  laid  doivn  as  a 
rule,  is  akin  to  asceticism,  and  partakes  of  the  censure  allotted 
to  self-inflicted  suffering,  or  pretended  proud  freedom  from 
human  infirmity. 

The  conclusion  seems  to  be,  that  for  the  young  Missionary  (say 
below  thirty-three)  it  is  most  proper  to  remain  single  ;  but  not 
beyond  that  age.  Married  Missionaries  are  essentially  necessary 
for  the  complete  symmetry  of  a  Mission-Station,  and  the  Wife  is 
as  important  a  factor  as  the  Husband. 

III.  I  now  pass  to  the  third  category,  the  regularly-organized 
INIissionary  Society.  I  am  met  at  once  by  the  necessity  of  a 
subdivision : 

A.  The  new  and  economical  system. 

B.  The  old,  and  in  my  opinion  extravagant  system. 

A.  Of  the  new  system  I  will  quote  as  far  as  follows  the  very 
words  of  the  leader  : 

(i)  The  Universities  Mission  to  East  Africa. 

The  Bishop  is  quite  unable  to  offer  any  inducement  in  the  way  of  salary,  or 
periodical  liolidays,  or  ultimate  pension,  or  temporal  advantage  of  any  kind  :  it 
is  necessary,  that  those,  who  join  the  Mission,  should  do  so  with  the  sole  desire 


■   (  III  ) 

to  live  for,  and  willingness  to  die  in  their  work,  because  it  is  Christ's.  He 
offers  to  those,  who  may  need  the  help,  Board,  Lodging,  and  necessaries  during 
their  stay  in  Africa. 

In  the  life  of  Bishop  Steere  I  read  : 

At  the  present  time  not  one  of  the  Members  of  the  Bishop's  staff  in  Africa 
is  receiving  any  stipend  beyond  the  moderate  allowance  of  £20  per  annum,  for 
clothes,  etc.,  all  other  necessaries  are  provided  from  the  common  fund  of  the 
Mission.     Thus,  rich  and  poor  live  and  work  together  on  equal  terms. 

All  the  Missionaries  are  celibates  :  women-workers  are  not 
admitted  below  the  age  of  thirty.  This  Mission  belongs  to  the 
High  Church  party,  and  is  doing  admirable  work. 

The  China  Inland  Mission  is  in  the  Antipodes  as  regards 
Church  Government,  and  Doctrine.  Hudson  Taylor  thus 
formulates  his  principles  : 

Some  have  gone  out  at  their  own  expense :  the  rest  have  gone  out  under  a 
clear  understanding,  that  the  Mission  does  not  guarantee  any  income  whatever, 
and  knowing,  that  as  the  Mission  does  not  go  into  debt,  it  can  only  minister  to 
those  connected  with  it  as  far  as  the  funds  allow :  in  other  words,  they  have 
gone  out  in  dependence  upon  God  for  their  temporal  supplies. 

Again  : 

The  China  Inland  Mission  accepts  suitable  candidates,  whether  possessed  of 
private  means,  or  not  :  those,  who  need  it,  are  assisted  in  their  outfits,  have 
their  passage-money  provided  them,  and  have  funds  remitted  to  them  from  time 
to  time,  as  the  supplies  come  in.  God,  in  a  very  special  way,  is  the  Treasurer 
of  the  Missionary,  and  to  Him  they  look,  not  to  the  Mission.  Hitherto  He  has 
supplied,  and  henceforth  He  will  do  the  same. — 18S8, 

The  North  African  Mission,  and  the  East  London  Institute, 
are  conducted  on  similar  principles  :  the  latter  makes  the 
following  appeal,  1888  : 

This  state  of  things  would  make  us  anxious,  but  that  we  gratefully  and 
trustfully  remember  the  long  years  during  which  our  large  households,  though 
like  the  birds  without  storehouse  or  barn,  have  been  fed  day  by  day,  and  had 
every  need  supplied. 

Again  I  read  : 

The  Mission  Board  of  the  Free  Methodists  show  much  interest  in  Foreign 
Missions,  and  the  Church  is  increasing  its  contributions,  but  the  Board 
guarantees  no  salary  to  any  one,  only  a  portion  to  the  different  Missions,  which 
the  Church  contributes  ;  so  that  each  Missionary  is  independent,  using  what 
comes  as  the  Providence  of  God,  and  planning  for  self-support  as  soon  as 
possible. 

The  Universities  Mission  to  Calcutta  puts  the  matter  very 
bluntly : 

A  Hindu  asked  me  the  other  day  how  we  lived,  if  we  had  no  salaries.  I 
told  him,  chiefly  by  begging.  So  from  a  professional  beggar  no  apology  is 
needed. —  1888. 

With  regard  to  all  these  Missions,  I  must  remark,  that  thirty 
years  have  not  passed  over  their  heads.     In  due  course  they 


(       112      ) 

will  have  aged  men  and  women,  whom  they  cannot  allow  to 
starve  :  they  will  have  orphan  children,  and  widows,  cast  upon 
them  ;  they  cannot  live  from  hand  to  mouth,  without  running  the 
risk  of  great  disaster,  and  tremendous  suffering  to  innocent  people. 

B.  I  call  the  old  system  extravagant,  and  I  mean  what  I  say. 
The  Annual  Reports  of  the  great  Societies  speak  for  themselves. 
There  is  no  insinuation  of  carelessness,  or  absence  of  a  proper 
system  of  accounts,  or  any  possible  malversation.  There  is  a 
continuous  audit  by  professional  auditors  from  the  outside,  and 
a  Committee  of  inquiry  would  have  very  little  to  discover,  as  all 
is  above-board,  and  unpaid  lay  Committees  are  very  much  in 
earnest,  and  have  great  experience  of  human  affairs,  and  are 
terribly  out-spoken;  but  everything  is  done  in  much  too  expensive 
a  style,  just  like  a  Government-Office,  which  has  the  purse  of 
the  British  taxpayers  behind  it.  Anything  more  ridiculous  than 
paying  first-class  passages  for  Negro  Missionaries,  the  sons  of 
redeemed  Slaves,  and  men  with  extremely  humble  connections, 
cannot  be  imagined.  In  my  travels,  I  have  often  found  the 
Italian,  or  Spanish,  or  French,  Roman  Catholic  Priest  stretched 
out  on  the  deck,  as  a  second  or  third-class  passenger,  but  the 
Protestant  Negro  must  go  first-class  :  this  is  a  fair  sample.  The 
expenses  with  regard  to  the  wives  and  children  of  the  Mission- 
aries are  enormous :  the  country  clergyman  with  a  large  family 
must  feel  surprise,  and  a  certain  amount  of  envy.  The  luxurious- 
ness,  and  indulgence,  of  the  nineteenth  century  has  caused  this, 
and  I  am  bound  to  say,  that  signs  of  the  same  evil  are  not  wanting 
in  all  secular  establishments,  where  the  funds  are  provided  by 
the  State,  or  the  County,  or  the  Parish,  and  not  by  the  persoji 
himself.  What  is  required  is  not  the  Faith-Mission,  or  the 
Brotherhood,  or  the  Common  Fund,  or  the  Hap-hazard,  or  the 
"Root,  Hog,  or  die"  systems,  which  I  have  described,  but  a 
stern,  economic,  and  fearless,  administration  of  our  sacred  funds, 
reminding  the  Missionaries,  that  the  Committee  will  not  tolerate 
luxuries,  or  indulgences,  or  pride,  or  waste,  and  expects  self- 
sacrifice,  and  self  consecration,  atid  selfco7itrol  on  their  part.  This 
would  set  free  large  sums  for  the  entertainment  of  additional 
Agents.  In  the  present  state  of  English  feeling  it  is  throwing 
words  away :  perhaps  a  new  generation  of  a  sterner  type  will 
succeed  us. 

I  am  glad  to  chronicle  symptoms  of  this  feeling  in  the  Field. 
Instances  occur,  where  the  Missionary  has,  in  the  presence  of 
the  Parent-Committee,  offered  to  share  his  subsistence  allowance 
with  another,  assuring  us,  that  his  expenses  fell  short  of  his 
supply  :  invitations  have  come  home  to  send  out  men  on  sixty 
Rupees  per  mensem,  or  £']o  per  annum  :  all  Missionaries  should 
contribute  as  much  as  they  can  from  their  private  means  to  their 
own  support,  and  draw  as  little  as  possible  on  the  sacred  funds. 


(     113     ) 

Still  more  discouraging  is  the  lavish  expenditure  on  Clerks, 
and  offices.  Any  one,  who  thinks,  that  a  Missionary  Society  can 
work  by  an  automatic  process,  without  Secretaries,  or,  in  other 
words,  an  Executive,  might  believe,  that  a  cart  would  move 
along  the  road  without  wheels ;  but  there  ought  to  be  found  men 
in  Great  Britain,  of  independent  circumstances,  and  good  training, 
whose  health  would  noj;  permit  them  to  venture  on  the  foreign 
Field,  and  yet  who  could  do  the  work  of  Secretary  gratuitously, 
and  men  of  that  stamp  are  found,  and  more  should  be  looked  for. 
Just  as  the  Missionary  receives  no  salary,  properly  so  called,  but 
only  enough  to  sustain  his  physical  wants,  and  enable  him  to 
apply  his  intellectual  and  spiritual  gifts  to  the  Lord's  work,  so 
there  should  be  found  at  home  in  this  rich  country,  men  ready 
to  consecrate  their  time  and  talents  for  the  glory  of  God,  without 
seeking  profit,  without  necessity  of  maintenance.  In  some 
Societies  there  is  a  very  cheap  administration,  owing  to  the 
amount  of  voluntary  Service  supplied  :  all  the  Committeemen's 
work  is  voluntary  and  gratuitous,  but  the  Executive  should  be 
supplied  by  Volunteers  also.  The  only  remedy  is  to  rule,  that 
every  shilling  collected  for  Mission-purposes  should  go  to 
Missiotiarv-ivork  out  of  the  country,  ivithout  any  deduction.  A 
separate  Fund  shouldbe  raised  from  the  Friends  of  the  Mission, 
for  the  office-expenses,  or  rather  to  supplement  what  cannot  be 
supplied  by  voluntary  labour.  The  time  may  be  near  at  hand, 
when  contributors  of  money  to  convert  the  Heathen  will  label 
their  contributions  : 

Not  a  sixpence  of  mine  to  go  to  maintain  a  Children's  Home,  or  the  outfit 
of  the  wife  of  a  Missionary  under  ten  years'  service,  or  the  first-class  passage  of 
a  Negro  Missionary,  or  an  office  Clerk. 

The  laxness  of  expenditure  in  the  Parent-Committee  leads 
to  laxness  of  expenditure  in  the  Field.  The  foolish  attempt  is 
made  to  elevate  the  Asiatic,  African,  or  South  Sea  Islander  to 
a  platform,  socially  above  his  Heathen  relations,  because  he  is  a 
Christian.  We  have  no  Apostolic  sanction  for  this,  and  it  is  a 
deadly  mistake.  The  Religion  of  Christ  has  no  relation  what- 
ever to  the  social  culture,  or  civilization,  of  the  convert.  In  the 
early  Missions  of  Christianity  there  was  comparatively  little 
difference  in  respect  of  culture  and  civilization,  betwixt  the  preacher 
of  the  Gospel,  and  those,  to  whom  he  preached.  They  ate  and 
drank  the  same  food,  and  were  clothed  in  a  similar  manner.  St. 
Paul  worked  among  men  not  inferior  to  himself,  and  he  moved 
among  them,  as  an  equal.  In  the  middle  ages  and  the  time  of 
Columba  of  lona,  as  regards  all  things,  that  represented  civiliza- 
tion, there  was  little  difference  betwixt  the  Missionary  and  his 
convert.  But  the  modern  Missionary  has  to  work  among  races 
undoubtedly  inferior,  and  lower  in  culture.  This  is  owing  to 
the  enormous  advance  of  European  culture,  and  it  often  proves 


(     114    ) 

a  great  snare  to  the  Missionary,  and  generates  pride,  arrogance, 
and  self-assertion.  He  is  led  on  to  another  snare,  the  attempt 
to  introduce  a  higher  social  civilization  among  his  converts. 
This  may  come  in  its  own  time,  and  probably  will  come,  but 
conversion  should  be  his  sole  object,  and  he  should  be  cautious 
not  to  introduce  new  and  expensive  habits  and  wants. 

Then  again  it  may  be  an  unpleasant  truth,  but  the  conviction 
forces  itself  upon  me,  that  the  life  of  the  modern  Missionary  is 
very  easy-going  compared  with  what  it  was  fifty  years  ago.  Take 
the  life  of  Bishop  Gobat,  and  see  what  he  suffered  in  Abyssinia, 
privation,  want,  long  delays  in  unhealthy  places,  tedious  voyages, 
hope  deferred,  absence  of  success.  What  were  the  perils,  and 
sufferings,  of  Selwyn,  Patteson,  Williams,  Allen  Gardiner  ?  They 
had  Faith,  and  Love,  and  Patience,  and  were  real  Apostles.  One 
Missionary  of  that  period  mentions,  that  his  boxes  arrived  after 
having  been  despatched  more  than  two  years.  On  being  opened, 
everything  was  as  rotten  as  tinder.  Two  or  three  packets  of 
letters  were  in  the  middle  of  one  box,  but,  when  touched,  they 
crumbled  to  dust.  It  was  most  trying,  said  the  Missionary.  It 
was  the  only  time,  that  he  saw  his  wife  give  way  to  sorrow  and 
tears.  In  this  luxurious  age  w^e  find  the  Missionary  quite  out 
of  thoughts,  if  he  does  not  get  his  post  regularly ;  complaining 
bitterly,  if  his  things  are  not  sent  out  to  him  as  he  likes,  and 
occasionally  the  attributes  of  the  humble,  converted,  consecrated, 
Christian  man  are  sadly  wanting. 

When  the  Missionary  himself  exhibits  the  principles  of  Self- 
consecration,  and  Self-sacrifice,  he  can  enforce  those  characteristics 
on  his  flock ;  but  not  otherwise.  For  the  welfare  of  the  Native 
Church,  and  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  by  the  agency  of  ■ 
Native  Evangelists  to  the  Regions  beyond,  it  is  most  desirable 
to  maintain  the  greatest  simplicity  of  life,  and  the  great  Grace  of 
gratuitous  ministration,  the  consecration  of  body  and  soul,  with 
a  mere  provision  for  the  humblest  human  wants.  I  rejoice  to 
see  the  steady  opposition  to  the  entertainment  of  paid  Native 
Agents  in  China :  or,  in  other  words,  providing  with  a  salary  a 
crowd  of  hungry  converts,  well  deserving  the  name  of  "  Rice 
Christians." 

The  injurious  effects  of  the  Paid  Agent  system  on  the  mass  of  the  Chinese 
population,  outside  of  the  Church,  are  perhaps  still  greater.  The  li  priori 
judgment  of  the  Chinaman,  as  to  the  motive  of  one  of  his  countrymen  in  propa- 
gating a  foreign  religion,  is,  that  he  is  hired  or  bribed  to  do  it.  \Vhen  he  learns, 
that  the  native  preacher  is  in  fact  paid  by  foreigners,  he  is  confirmed  in  his 
judgment.  What  the  motive  is  which  actuates  the  foreign  vtissionary,  a 
motive  so  strong,  that  he  is  willing  to  waste  life  and  money  in  what  seems  a 
fruitless  enterprize,  he  is  left  to  imagine.  The  most  common  explanation  is,  that 
it  is  a  covert  scheme  for  buying  adherents  with  a  view  to  political  movements 
inimical  to  the  State.  Of  course  it  is  supposed,  that  no  loyal  native  will  have 
anything  to  do  with  such  a  movement.     If  the  Chinaman  is  told  that  this  enter- 


(    115    ) 

prize  is  prompted  by  disinterested  motives,  and  intended  for  the  good  of  his 
people,  he  is  incredulous.  The  result  is,  that  many  well-disposed  Chinamen  of 
the  better  classes,  who  might  be  brought  under  Christian  influences,  are  repelled, 
and  those,  who  actually  find  their  way  into  the  Church,  are  composed  largely  of 
two  opposite  classes :  those  whose  honest  convictions  are  so  strong,  that  they 
outweigh  and  overcome  all  obstacles  ;  and  unworthy  persons,  to  whom  that 
feature  in  iVIission-work  which  we  are  controverting  is  its  chief  attraction. 

This  same  argument  applies  to  the  same  facts  elsewhere.  In 
Part  IV.  Address  II.  I  described,  how  the  Polynesian  Evan- 
gelists received  a  little  clothing,  and  laboured  with  their  own 
hands.  The  principles  of  most  Societies  point  to  the  policy  of 
raising  up  an  establishinent  of  Native  Pastors,  upon  a  self- 
supporting,  self-governing,  and  self-extending  system.  The 
more  these  are  enforced,  the  better. 

I  cannot  leave  this  subject  without  allusion  to  the  accepted 
machinery  for  raising  Funds,  and  the  scientific  organization, 
spread  over  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  making  the  whole 
transaction  very  secular,  very  formal,  very  business-like,  and 
very  unlike  Spirituality.  The  Ministry  of  the  Churches  are  to 
blame.  The  duty  of  conveying  the  Gospel  to  Regions  Beyond 
should  be  preached  systematically  week  by  week  from  the 
Pulpit,  and  enforced  from  the  Platform  periodically,  by  accurate 
information  of  the  progress  of  the  Work.  Every  member  of  the 
Church  should  be  supplied  with  Missionary  Publications  :  they 
need  the  food,  supplied  by  the  Committee,  quite  as  much  as 
the  Committee  needs  their  subscriptions.  A  spiritual  stimulus, 
and  uplifting  of  flagging  hearts,  are  wanted.  Men  will  never 
care  about  matters,  of  which  they  know  nothing :  they  cannot 
know  unless  they  are  informed.  It  gives  Life  and  Love  to  a 
Church  to  know,  and  desire  to  know,  how  the  Lord's  work 
progresses  among  the  Heathen :  if  the  workers  are  in  trouble, 
it  melts  the  heart  in  sympathy :  if  in  triumph,  it  rouses  a  Spirit 
of  thankfulness  :  both  circumstances  are  remembered  in  private 
and  family  prayer.  We  read  with  long-drawn  breath  the 
fortunes  of  the  Queen's  soldiers,  because  we  are  good  citizens : 
why  not  have  similar  feelings  for  the  Lord's  soldiers,  if  we  are 
good  Christians  ?  Missions  to  the  Heathen  are  a  component 
part  of  the  Whole  Duty  of  Man,  and  should  not  be  treated  as 
a  fancy,  a  fad,  a  something  extraneous  from  the  necessities 
of  a  good  life.  How  much  more  interesting  would  be  a  stirring 
picture  of  Missionary  Progress,  than  the  conventional  drone, 
which  has  reduced  the  power  of  the  Pulpit  so  low  }  When  the 
great  Societies  spend  respectively  ^'8000  and  £ \ 0,000  per 
annum  on  Deputations,  there  should  be  some  result.  Now  one- 
half  of  the  Annual  Income  comes  in  without  reference  to 
Preacher,  or  Deputation.  Established  friends  of  the  Society 
send  their  contribution  as  a  matter  of  duty :  of  the  remaining 
moiety,   one-half  would  come  in  on  receipt  of  a  reminder  by 


(     ii6    ) 

post :  it  is  for  the  remaining  half  moiety,  or  quarter  of  the  whole, 
that  the  whole  struggle  and  expenditure  takes  place,  and  the 
percentage  should  be  thrown  upon  that  quarter  only. 

Many  of  the  Deputations  unite  the  arguments  of  the  Gospel 
with  the  manner  of  the  Water-Rate  Collector  :  it  is  the  daughter 
of  the  horse-leech,  that  we  seem  to  be  listening  to,  "  Give, 
Give ! "  Instead  of  giving  the  information,  expounding  the 
motives,  interesting  the  hearers  with  the  magnficent  story,  and 
leaving  the  duty  of  collecting  to  the  Local  Committee,  ridiculous 
comparisons  are  made  betwixt  the  vast  sum  spent  in  Liquors, 
Tobacco,  Milliners'  Bills,  Foreign  Wars,  and  the  cost  of  living, 
and  the  small  amount  contributed  to  Missionary  objects.  Such 
arguments  are  more  calculated  to  offend  than  to  conciliate. 
What  shall  be  said  of  the  frightful  statistical  tables,  showing  the 
preponderant  number  of  Heathen,  and  the  paucity  of  Christian  ? 
tall  stately  columns  represent  the  non-Christian  world,  and  a 
mere  ninepin  the  Christian.  The  danger  is,  lest  the  sceptic 
should  turn  the  argument  round,  and  say. 

Here  we  are  in  the  nineteenth  century  of  the  Cliristian  era,  and  not  only  have 
we  gained  no  ground,  but  we  have  lost,  for  the  Mahometan  religion  is  seven 
hundred  years  later  in  date,  and  so  much  more  successful. 

Then  stupid  calculations  are  made  of  the  amount  of  people's 
income  and  their  subscriptions,  holding  them  up  to  a  kind  of 
obloquy.  What  becomes  of  the  right  hand  not  knowing  what  the 
left  has  given,  when  the  Deputation  wants  accurate  information 
of  what  each  man  does,  and  explains  to  a  man  with  a  large 
family  of  sons  and  daughters,  how  much  he  ought  to  pay  to  the 
INIissionary  Society  ?  And  of  what  profit  is  the  late  onslaught 
on  the  so-called  "Titled  Classes"  ?  It  is  nothing  new.  Such  will 
it  be  for  ever.  (i.  Cor.  i.  26.) 

Quiet,  undemonstrative  Christians  are  vexed  by  the  perpetual 
calls  on  them :  they  give  the  miserable  shilling  to  get  rid  of  the 
trouble  ;  the  people,  who  go  about  with  cards,  are  a  nuisance  : 
it  is  a  bad  phase  of  religious  life  :  all,  who  are  in  earnest,  set 
apart  a  portion  of  their  income  ;  no  blessing  can  accompany 
money  given  without  any  heart,  just  to  get  out  of  the  door 
of  the  church,  or  assembly-room,  respectably.  It  turns  to 
dross  in  the  Treasury  of  the  Society,  and,  having  no  enduring 
blessing  in  it,  it  is  got  rid  of  in  the  pay  of  an  extra  Clerk,  in  the 
Railway-fares  of  the  Deputation,  or  the  first-class  passage  of  a 
Negro.  It  might  just  as  well  have  been  left  in  the  purses  of 
the  contributors,  as  far  as  having  the  remotest  influence  on 
Evangelization.  The  list  of  subscribers  given  in  such  detail 
in  the  Report,  doubling  its  bulk,  is  a  reproach  to  the  Christian 
Churches,  and  to  the  Christian  character  of  the  donors.  What 
can  they  want  to  see  their  names  in  print  for  ?    It  is  like  the 


(     117    ) 

trumpet  sounded  before  the  hypocrite,  when  he  gave  his  alms, 
condemned  by  our  Lord. 

The  exposure  of  the  idols  of  the  poor  Heathen  to  be  laughed 
at,  of  curios  brought  from  foreign  countries,  of  children  dressed 
up,  as  natives  of  the  East,  of  blind  old  men  brought  on  the 
platform  to  interest ;  such  things  are  thoroughly  wrong,  and  a 
secular  lecture  on  foreign  cities,  nations,  and  customs,  is  a  serious 
mistake.  The  object  of  Deputation-addresses  is  to  warm  up  the 
feelings  of  supporters,  educate  a  Missionary  spirit,  correct 
mistaken  impressions  as  to  policy,  inform  those  interested  of 
progress,  evidence  sympathy  with  the  fallen  races,  and  to  do 
what  Paul  and  Barnabas  did  eighteen  centuries  ago  : 

Rehearse  all,  that  God  had  done,  and  how  he  had  opened  the  door  of  faith  to 
the  Gentiles. 

No  subject  can  be  more  pregnant,  more  susceptible  of  varied 
treatment,  with  wider  scope,  furnishing  room  for  every  kind  of 
eloquence,  and  full  of  such  romantic  Poetry.  What  Epic  Poem 
of  ancient  or  modern  days  could  be  more  full  of  moving  scenes, 
and  varying  fortunes,  if  the  speaker  were  only  worthy  of  the 
subject !  A  spiritual  tone  should  dominate.  If  a  smile  be 
raised,  it  should  be  one  of  sympathy  and  love  towards  the 
Missionary,  and  the  poor  Heathen  people.  There  should  be  no 
ill-timed  jokes,  or  depreciatory  remarks,  or  condemnation  of  great 
Governments,  denunciation  of  a  great  Commerce,  or  sneers  at  rival 
denominations,  or  cries  for  Jingo-expeditions  and  Annexations. 
The  heart  should  indeed  go  forth  towards  the  poor  Heathen. 
Their  rude  conceptions  of  a  Power  greater  than  themselves  show, 
that  God  has  not  left  Himself  without  a  witness  in  their  hearts. 
They  recognize  an  environment  of  supernatural  agencies,  because 
something  tells  them,  that  God  is  very  near  them.  They  see 
Him  in  their  blessings,  and  their  troubles,  and  they  try  to 
propitiate  Him.     In  some  things  they  are  better  than  we  are. 

Above  all  things  it  is  desirable  to  keep  the  actual  Pounds, 
Shillings,  and  Pence  in  the  background.  What  can  be  more 
depressing,  or  opposed  to  spirituality,  than  the  cries  from  the 
Platform,  as  at  a  late  gathering  in  Cumberland : 

Another  Ten  Pound  Note  :  another  Five  Pound  :  and  so  on. 

And  where  is  boasting  ?  It  is  excluded.  From  the  East,  and 
the  West,  and  the  South,  come  up  tidings  of  terrible  failures, 
and  fearful  blots.  If  the  enemy  knew  our  shortcomings,  as  well 
as  our  friends,  where  should  we  be  ?  I  am  afraid  to  express  my 
own  feelings.     I  substitute  those  of  another : 

It  is  not  easy  to  exaggerate  the  grandeur  of  the  opportunity,  or  the  perils  of 
unfaithfulness.  To-day  we  must  do  the  work  ;  to-morrow  will  be  too  late. 
Let  us  realize  this  very  great  opportunity,  and  so  go  forward.  God  grant,  that 
these  things  may  be  brought  home  to  us  to-day,  and  that  we  may  go  forth  from 


(     ii8     ) 

this  hall  as  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  himself,  touched  with  the  flame  of 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  not  boasting  of  what  we  have  done  ;  not  in  the  spirit  of  the 
Ephesians  of  old,  crying  aloud,  "  Great  is  the  Church  Missionary  Society  !  " 
not  l^oasting  of  our  crowded  platforms,  our  large  meetings,  our  bountiful  sub- 
scriptions, but  impressed  more  and  more  with  the  thought,  that  very  much  land 
yet  remaineth  to  be  possessed,  that  the  fields  are  everywhere  white  unto  the 
harvest,  and  praying  that  (iod  will  quicken  our  halting  steps,  will  accept  our 
offerings,  and  arise,  and  do  great  things  by  our  humble  means  to  the  glory  of 
His  holy  name. 

I  implore  the  young  Preacher  of  the  Anniversary-sermons  not 
to  dilate  upon  Visions,  for  we  well  know,  that  he  has  seen  none, 
or  work  out  wild  analogies  with  Queen  Esther  or  Joseph,  or 
other  Scripture  character,  which  have  no  possible  relation  to  the 
subject,  mere  verbiage  :  "  vox  et  prteterea  nihil :  "  let  him  rather 
tell  the  congregation  the  new  mw  stoiy,  how  Science  has  revealed 
new  Regions  of  the  world,  and  brought  us  in  contact  with  nations, 
and  tribes,  and  languages,  of  which  our  fathers  knew  nothing  : 
how  the  Holy  Spirit  has  been  poured  out  in  exceeding  abund- 
ance on  this  generation,  bidding  us,  enabling  us,  and  sustaining 
us  in  our  wondrous  desire  to  carry  the  glorious  Gospel  to  every 
nation  under  the  sun  :  let  him  tell  with  glistening  eyes,  how  the 
war  goes  on,  for  with  his  eyes  he  must  have  read  the  narratives 
that  have  come  in  from  the  East,  and  the  West,  and  South,  with 
his  hands  he  may  have  touched  some  of  these  messengers  of  good 
tidings,  and  spoken  with  them  face  to  face  :  let  the  story  be 
graven  with  an  iron  pen  and  lead  in  the  rocks  for  ever !  let 
him  remember,  that  by  the  gleaming  words  that  he  utters  he 
either  conciliates  new  allies  to  the  cause,  or  by  his  unfaithful 
treatment  of  the  subject  disheartens  true  friends.  It  indeed 
requires  tongues  of  Fire  to  treat  the  subject  in  its  glorious 
completeness  :  the  present  generation  has  only  prepared  the 
way :  the  next  generation  will  have  something  worthy  to  record, 
though  our  eyes  may  never  see  it. 

I  have  said  my  say.  This  is  probably  my  last  contribution  to 
Missionary  Literature.  If  I  have  written  what  is  not  true,  let 
this  paper  be  consigned  to  the  fire.  If  there  is  a  scintilla  of 
truth,  think  over  it.  It  cannot  now  be  said,  that  we  must  travel 
onward,  as  if  in  a  mist,  and  that,  as  nobody  criticized,  there  was 
no  error. 

Eastbourne,  August  i8,  1888. 


STEPHEN   AUSTIN   AND   SONS,   PRINTERS,    HtKlFORU. 


^ ^'iib   .Q7CC 


5  9755 


DATE  DUE 


Demco,  Inc.  38-293 


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